davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-03-23
Discussing the Drama.

Two worthies were seated in opposite barber chairs and were giving their views of things theatrical.
 Say did you go down to the Jefferson last night?" asked one.
 Yes" answered the other, T was there and 1t was about the sorriest thing l ever seen. They called 1t The Harvest. A man named Skinner had a lot to do in the show, but l couldn't see what made him fine. He ain't-in the same class with that fellow in The Child Slaves of New York that played the detective Now, he was great, and don't you forget 1t.
 "of course there was lot of smart Alecks that went down to the Jeffer- son and claimed to like The Harvest but it bored me to death Black Patti IS Coing to be here tomorrow night. That's good show
 well, I never went to the Jefferson in my lfe," remarked the other man through the lather. T want action for my money. The Curse of Drink is the sort of show for me-"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-03-23
Odd Fellows Home.

"The prospects for the s4O,OOO. with which to build the Odd Fellows home, being in hand by the time the grand lodge meets in May are extremely bright" said Mayor L. N. Buel of Brighton, chairman of the committee who has charge of raising the funds from the various lodges throughout the state.
 "The indications are that the bids for the location of the home will be lively. So far six or seven cities in the state are being spoken of as the probable site for the new home. Anniston. Selma, Tusca- loosa, Jasper, Florence and the Decaturs are already looming up as formidable ap- pllcants for the home.
 'The new home will be one of the hand- somest of it's kind in the country and will be used as as asylum for the widows and orphans of Odd Fellows and indigent odd Fellows"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-03-23
MExco's FINANCIAL RECORD.

From the Modern Mexico.
 The City of Mexico has been doing bus mess for about 3sO years. There is prob- ably no capital in the civilized world that during the same period has been the center of more wars of conquest O. revolution, and yet, through all the troublesome days of these centuries this city has maintained It's financial reputa- ton free from blemish. Kings have come and gone, viceroy has succeeded vice. roy. emperors have flourshed for a brief regime and rival factions have striven for the presidency. loans have been fore ed by one general government to be re- pudiated by the next; bonds were issued during the French occupancy that tine republic would not assume, but during all the strife the ancient capital of the Aztecs cherished its financial integrity as it's choicest jewell and today rejoices in the record that not once in all its lcng history has debt been repudiated.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-03-23
Look, how imagination blows him.
 Twelfth Night
Tennessee's Coa!'s DIvIdend.

A dividend of 1 per cent has been declared on the common stock of the Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad company, payable May 1. On May 2 the annual meeting of the company will be held, and large plans for the future will no doubt be formulated at that meeting, and directors will be elected to carry them out. The ap- preaching annual meeting is looked forward to with general interest.
 Whatever the outcome of the an nual meeting may be, 1t is some satis- faction to know that dividends on the , common stock have been resumed. Not in several years has the company seemed so prosperous. The presump- tion is that the the big company has in sight funds for development pur- poses, and a surplus for a dividend.
 The declaration of 21s per cent dividend on Sloss-Sheffield common stock and a dividend on Tennessee common shows that not even strike among coal miners can stay the pros perity of these companies. The Ten nessee's dividend of May 1 might have been larger, but the resumption of dividends under the circumstances is a tribute to the strength of the dis trict and the solidity of it's biggest company.
 The forthcoming annual report will no doubt show that steel making has proven to be the company's best op- portunity, and 1t will be strange in deed if other producers of pig iron in this district do not soon follow suit. The Tennessee company has demon strated the profitableness of steel mak ing from our iron, and enough steel mills should be erected here to handle southern orders for rails at least. The Tennessee steel furnaces are not equal to the task.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-03-23
OLD IRELAND.

By Walt Whitman. Far henceoamid an isle of wondrous
 beauty, Crouching over a grave an ancient sor-
 rowful mother, Once a queen, now lean and tatter'd d.
 seated on the ground Her old white hair dropping dsheverd
 round her shoulders. At her feet fallen an unused royal harp. Long silent, she too long silent mourning
 her shrouded hope and heir. Of all the earth her heart most full of
 sorrow because most full of love. Yet word. ancient mother: You need crouch there no longer on the
 cold ground with forehead between
 your knees; O you need not sit there veil'd in your
 old white hair so dishevepd, For know you the one you mourn is not
 in that grave; It was an illusion, the son you love was
 not really dead The Lord is not dead, he is risen again,
 young and strong, in another coun-
 try, Even while you wept there by your fallen
 harp by the grave. What you wept for was translated.
 passd from the grave; The winds Ssvor't and the sea saild it; And now, with rosy and new blood, Moves today in new country.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-03-23
HELL FULL AT LAST.
Shreveport Journal.

From the Shreveport Journal.
 Did you ever see Mephistophelen played by fat man?'' he asked "No? Well, I once knew fat man w1lo played it well; only now and then he would have a mishap. for great weight and bulk are impedlments on the stage
 Once in -an Indiana town-in the town, I think of Kokomo-my fat friend played Mephistopheles. The opera house of Kokomo was little. The stage wal small. My friend, the day of his arrival. rehearsed hastily. That night he ar- peared for the first time
 And everything went well. The ap- plause was enthusiastic, till the middle of the third act when it was necessary for pheles to descend through a trap into the internal regions. At the proper mo- ment he leaped skillfully into the trap, but, instead of disappearing at once. his legs only disappeared.
 "Mephlstopheles was too fat for the trap. He stuck in it half way. He wrlggled and twisted, and he drew in his breath, trying to make his stomach small enough to pass through, but in vain.
 "The audience, interested, amazed, per plexed, watched. And in the tense silence the pants and low grunts of the strug- gling Mephistopheles could be plainly heard.
 "Then, from the gallery, a voice cried:
 Thank heaven, hell Is full at lastv !"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-03-23
QUAINT OLD JUAREZ IS
 NOW A VERY LIVELY TOWN

southwest, nine big roads centering there. This makes travel in this direction easy and frequently brings Fl Paso some of the greatest railway magnates of the country. It is related in whispers over on the El Paso side of the river that some of these are in the habit of trying their luck in Jaurez, and it is further whispered that some of them have dropp- ed big stakes over the green cloth.
 See one of these Jaurez gambling dens and allowing some variation, as to size and splendor of furnishings, you have seen them all-forsthey are all practically alike. Every place has it's music. The orchestra usually plays some entrancing Spanish air and the senoritas coyly drop in and execute an occasional dance-but there is invariably in every place a blonde American woman-sometlmes she is young and pretty-to sing My Old Kentuck home" or some other familiar air. There is almost always an American playing high stakes in every game and such songs as "Old Kentucky" Sunny Tennessee" or Good by, Little Girl. Don't Cry" spread a sort of United States feeling over the cosmopolitan scene. and once he is at his ease the American buys more chips and delves more recklessly into the game.
 Of the Jaurez bull ring, which is ors of the show places of the town, there is little to be said. except that 1t Is muc.. the same as other Mexican bull rings IL is one of the most costly in Mexico eclipsed only by one in the City of Mex leo. It has the good will of Governor Terrazaz of the State of Chihuahua. and from one of the governors ranches comes the greatest number of ferocious bulls that meet death at the hands of Jaurez bullfghters There is a bull fight in Jau- reg every Sunday.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-03-23
COMMENTS ON MEN AND
 MATTERS OF THE WORLD

aggerations and so disparaging to the best people of Birmingham that storm of indignation was aroused. In referring to the blunder of this newspaper man south ern papers quote only a few of his mis- statements. As matter of fact, he wrote series of letters which were interrupted by the unpleasant position in which he found himself and his sudden recall to New York from Little Rock. This season another one of these accounts of the un- civilized customs of people in the south found its way into print through the medium of a fellow scribe of the f1rst of- fender. It is said to have been a mis- take for which the baseball correspondent was not responsible, the story having been 'faked" in the New York office from few lines which the correspondent appended to one of his dispatches How ever that may have been. the injustice was equally as great While Birmingham cherishes no special i'll feeling toward the baseball players of Mr. McGraw the peo- pie here could not forget the way in which their hospitality last year was re- paid, especially since a repetition of this treatment was threatened. The incident of the Athletic club seems to have re- suited from the New Workers taking too much for granted They had not been extended an official invitation to make themselves at home at the club house, al- though every courtesy was shown them last year. The uncermonious manner in which they installed themselves caused surprise.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-03-23
Racing to Harbin.

Imagine several hundreds of thous- ands of men-at least half a million hurrying in two hostile bands or or ganizations from Birmingham to New Orleans, and you have in a rough sense the race now going on in Man churia. Blocton might stand for Tie Pass, and Meridian for Kiriu Junction. and Pearl river for the Sungari. The distance from Birmingham to New Orleans is almost identical with that from Tie Pass to Harbin.
 The marching of two big armies en- cumbered with artillery, over roads none too good, all to be fed as they move along, is no slight task, even if they do not do much fighting. The Russians are keeping along the main travelled road, with the Japanese com ing along on the flank. The Japanese must not only do all the work the Russians are doing, but they are com pelled to rebuild the railroad as they proceed, for it is their sole line of communication. The Russians wreck the railroad to the extent of their ability.
 The march to Harbin is not bit sensational or theatrical or brilliant. It is simply hard work carried on in a. trying climate on soil full of frost. Each army as it goes carries along hospitals, food supplies, ammunition and guns big and little. One army is full of spirit led by officers who seem to be masters of the war trade. The other goes back to Harbin under de- pressing conditions. The latter, too, is ever fearful that the line of railroad along which they are marching will be cut. They are afraid of the vic torious fiankers, while the Japanese fear nothing.
 It is absolutely impossible to say how large a force Linevitch has. but 175,000 effective soldiers is probably its maximum at present. Oyama un- doubtedly has at least 25O,OO0 men ready for a..a line of battle. To these numbers should be added at least 100000 to cover the sick, wounded and camp follow CTS generally. Over half a million of men in hostile array are scurrying along to Harbin. When the great rail
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-03-23
cHApERoNs GOING OUT?

From the New York Press.
 With the development of the shopping luncheon. chaperonage-by day, of course appears to be going out of fashion in New York. The metropolitan lass al- ways has been more independent in that respect than her provincial sisters, and today her emancipation from the of the duenna is almost complete. One can see from II to any fine day hundreds of young women at tables in Sherry's, Del s, the Breslin, the St. Regis or the Astor, unattended, unless by companions of their own average age They take their luncheon in seeming unconsciousness of the fact that their grandmammas and even their mammas would have been re- garded> as exceptionally daring to dream of doing so in public without chaperons. Perhaps the doom of the duenna already is sounded for every phase of social life.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-03-23
Birmingham Saloons.

Did you know that Birmingham has the best saloons,-so far as the law is concerned,-in the south?" said travel ing man yesterday afternoon at the Ho- tel Hillman
 "As I understand the laws of your city the saloons are required to close every night at 15 minutes past 12 o'clock. I understand that but few saloons remain open until that hour All of the saloons in the business district close their doors at 12 o'clock sharp and after that hour there Is nothing doing This may seem small natter but 15 minutes means a lot to the saloon keeper. In that time it is possible for saloon to take in five O. six dollars from customers who want a night cap.'"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-03-23

dent of the Girls Industrial school at Montevallo, is stopping at the Morris
  J. E. Woody Jr.. of Memphis is at the Morris.
 c. R. Dobson Of Boston is at the Nor ris.
 II. ". Elkins of Macon, Ga. is at the St. Nicholas.
 D. smith of Memphis. Is at the St. Nicholas.
 J. M. Jones of Eufaula is at the Colo niai.
 J. D. Hughes of Pen City is at the Colonial.
 R. NJ. Hali. a representatives of a large advertising firm of Chicago, is at the Colonial.
 G. W. Brock of opelika is at the Hill man. A. M. Strickland of Atlanta is at the Hllman.
 J. E. Smith, who has been the popular day clerk at the Colonial for over Q year, left last night for Meridian. where he has accepted a position with the new Southern hotel.
  Capt. J. M. Fall1ner of Montgomery, and Mrs. Falkner. spent a few hours at the Hillman yesterday.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-03-23
DWELLINGS IN eREAT CITES.

From the New York Sun.
 There are 25o0O0 dwelling houses in the five boroughs of the city of New York, a dwelling house being officially de- scrlbed as a place in which one or more persons regularly sleep, and which has accommodations for their residence. Af- ter New York, in size of population, comes Chicago, but not in the number oi dwellings. Chicago has 190,0Oo dwell- figs Philadelphia, less populous city, has 245, 900, nearly as many as New York.
 There are S2,000 dwelling houses in the city of St Louis, S9,O0O in Baltimore, 66- COG in Boston, 52,000 in New Orleans, 52,- OOO in Detroit, 5000 in San Francisco, 5000 in Washington, 450O0 in Milwaukee, ,OO0 in Newark, 5O,00O in Buffalo, 1000 in Cleveland, 35O00 in Louisville 40,000 ir. Cincinnati, 3O,O00 in Minneapolis, 5O000 in Pittsburgh and 15.OOO in New Haven.
 The city of London has 6O0,000 houses. which is more than double the number in New York, though the population of London is less than double that of this city. Paris has 100000 houses less than half the number in New York, though Paris has a population of 2,5OO,O00, while the population of New York is 100000 greater. London has on an average, sev- en residents to each house; Paris has twenty-five and New York has between ten and eleven. New York is more thick ly populated than London, and less thick ly populated than Paris, if the number of residents house be accepted as the measure of the density of population. Among American cities, Philadelphia IS the most sparsely populated and Bos- ton the most thickly settled
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-03-23
IN HOTEL LoBBIEs
Dinkins Songs in Temperance Town

Dinklne Songs In Temperance Town. The Vanderbilt Glee club recently had very unpleasant experience in a certain water wagon town in Tennessee said Sharies C. Washburn of Nashville who was in Birmingham this week arranging TOT the concert his club is to give at the Athletic club on Thursday March 30. Among the most effective songs we have on our programme are several drinking songs which had always been enthusi- astically eneored until We got to this par tiehlar town In Tennessee. where they fell very fiat and their cold reception cast a gloom over the rest of the per- formance.
 After we returned to Nashville the authorities of Vanderbilt university re- ceived several letters from preachers ana other prominent citizens in this temper ance town, strongly condemning the uni versty for letting it's students go around the country singing drinking songs, as if such customs were everyday incidents in colleg life at Vanderbilt
 .The next issue of the town paper after we left contained long editorial bitterly condemning the drink-songs. and making of our visit one of the biggest sensations that had happened to the community in years.
 "Of course the chancellor of the univer- sty made proper reply to these charges saying the faculty saw no harm what ever in the songs and that ended the in- cident. except that it showed us we ought to study the people in the towns where we are to sing and suit the songs to their tastes.
 Prom my long knowledge of Birmlng- ham people, I'm sure they can stand the drinking songs, so we won't cut them out in our concert here"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-03-23
EnsIev's Future.

q am inclined to think that the large iron companies of the Birmingham district will be merger, but merger or no merger Ensley's future prosperity is well as sured,' said Birmingham man whe was looking over Ensey yesterday.
 "The steel plant is a great success and no matter whether the Tennessee goes into the proposed consolidation or con- tinues to operate as now, the steel out. put at Ensley will be increased steadily If the merger goes through the stee plant will probably be doubled in capac- ity"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-03-23
prom the Kansas city star.

From the hanSdS 0lly SldT. @ IUDAD JUAREZ is across the N Rio Grande river from Fl Paso. O From the Fl Paso plaza to the Jaurez plaza is but fifteen minutes ride or trolley car. Time was when Fl Paso was a Monte Carlo, with wide-open second floor gambling houses, together with all the accompaniments usually in cident to such life
 Fl Paso is still what is commonly term ed {" a hot town.'' but the public gamb- ling had to go-had to give way to the onward march of civilization-and build gambling dens are now given over to gro ceries, book shops and other things more prosaic and less picturesque.
 Gambling in Fl Paso-wide open gamb- ling-ceased three months ago.
 What will we do now?''
 That was the concerted cry that came from the sporting element
 Why, go over to Jaurez, of course" This was the concerted answer from business men and others.
 The advice was taken. And in less than a day quaint old Jaurez, with its queer Guadeloupe church, $50 years old, became Monte Carlo Jaurez now outsports Fl Paso even as Fl Paso was in it's baimy days.
 This section of the country, by req son of its charming climate, is a Mecca for health seekers and tourists. They come here from all parts of the world. The resident population. not only of Jaurez. but Fl Paso also includes almost every nationality. Millionaires in Fl Paso and Jaurez are common. Beggars are plentiful It is the wild and woody west in the complete sense of the expression, and an enterprising saloon keeper told the truth for once when he displayed a sign bearing the following:
 ALWAYS
 SOMETHING
 DOING IN
 JAUREZ
 Perhaps nobody knows just how many gambling houses there are in Jaurez, be- cause new one are coming and going con- stantly It is. of course, the business of the authorities to know. and they will find out some time
 But they are in no hurry about it in fact, to make . census of Jaurez gamb- ling establishments would be like work. and it is a we'll defined trait of the Mex lean to put off everything until tomor- row-everything except sport.
 Gambling in Jaurez is as open and as we'll regarded as the sale of bibles in Philadelphia or Shakespeare in Boston. Much of the patronage comes from. tour ists and travellers.
 Fl Paso is the railroad center of the
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-03-23
Much Railroad BuiIdinq.

The Railway Age says the wonderful activity of the present year in rail way construction will result in an addition of about 7500 miles to the railway system of the country. Ala bamas share of such an addition would be about 160 miles. Will the new railroad mileage of the year reach that figure?
 If all railroads projected in this state could be constructed this year much more than 160 miles would be laid on Alabama soil, but there is a great difference between projected railroads and railroads in the course of actual construction. The Alabama Western railroad is in the projected stage, while the Seaboard extension is nearing completion.
 The Seaboard extension is good for fifty miles, and the various extensions of the Louisville and Nashville in this district will add as much more, but it is at present difficult to locate the remainder of our quota. The Bruns- wick and Birmingham is headed this way. but no track will be laid In Ala bama this year. The Western Ala bama railroad is still in a crysalis state. The Southern will fill some gaps this year, but all told Alabama will do well if she actually spikes down one hundred and sixty miles of rails made in Alabama"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-03-23

road bridge that spans the sungari is reached something eventful will take place, but the Japanese will undoubt- edly be ready with pontoons If the ice prove insufficiently. strong for bridge purposes. The race at any rate is great spectacle, and it promises to be- come deeply historic.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-03-23
REFLECTIONS OF A BACHELOR

From the New York Press.
 The secret about making money is not to lose 1t.
 A woman can admire her baby's hair when it Is bald.
 A girl seems to have an idea that if she mentions the word garter someone will see 1t.
 A boy would even rather go to Sun day school than have the minister come to dinner.
 The funniest thing Is bow . widow kisses a man as if she had never heard of such a thing before.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-03-23
Wit at the hefIln Banquet.

Among the many distinguished men who were gathered about the board Tuesday night at the Hotel Hillman to do honor to pr. w. l.. Hefin. father and head of the Hefiin family, it was noticeable that nearly all showed remarkable knowledge of the soil Col W. H. Denson started the ball to rolling by calling the company i've farmers and Judge Charles w. Ferguson said he could not run well in ploughed ground" After that many references were made to scenes and incidents on the farm which inspired the best anecdotes of the evening.
 To cap the climax Congressman J. Thomas Hefin told the following story:
 Speaking of the difficulty of running over ploughed ground reminds me that l once knew a fellow who had never seen a railroad train. He was walking down the track one day when he perceived train approaching rapidly in the rear When he saw the locomotive bearing down upon him he grabbed his wool hat and struck out down the track at his very best clip.
 ..The train drew nearer and nearer, the engineer footing his whistle like mad, but the farmer kept on the track, sprint ing for all he was worth.
 "Finally the engineer overlook the fugi- tive and bawled out:
 ..Why in the devil don't you get of the track?'
 ..The farmer shouted back across his shoulder:
 s..sCause. darn ye, ye want to git me nut in ploughed ground an ketch mer'
 About Persons.
 pr. w. H. Bell of Evergreen ss stepping at the Morris.