davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-02-27
ABOUT THE CONDITIONS
 IN CONGO FREE STATE

blacks fastened below in a space only three feet high usually and that after such storm, when the matches were thrown back, there were always poor wretehes dead to be atrashed to the waves
 Conditions as unspeakable existed up to twenty years ago in Africa itself, but MT. Waek says that the slave trade is now pretty well stamped out The state of slavery for those who are in it is noth- ing like so bad as the slave trade A slave is property and stands some chance of being well treated: but upon the re- turn march of the hurrying slave-raid- CTS those whose strength fails are merci- lessly slain. All over Africa" wrote Schweinfurth. the German traveller dried human skeletons show where tke slave-trader has passed"
 As to cannibalism, so recently as 1898 it was necessary to maintain a guard upon the Leopoldville graveyard to pre- vent freshly buried bodies from being well, dug up.
 They are building automobile roads in Congoland. They have 800 miles of tele- graph and telephone wires, about as much wagon road and trail, perhaps a hundred miles of completed railroad ale together. chiefly to get about the river cataracts and above the cataracts there is a magnificent stretch of navigable waters for kick-behind steamers
 About 300 miles more of railroad have been laid out in surveys to make more approachabe the upper reaches of the river Here in the big lake region of Eastern Congoland is a beautiful climate Near the equator, to be sure but 5000 feet above the sea. as high as Mount Washington, and cool enough for conn fort
 MT. Wack says that the whole trouble about the Congo administration comes from the greed of Liverpool traders who would like to get control of the trade On the other hand, travellers worthy of credence say that they have seen hands that had been topped off because their owners did not hustle fast enough in gathering rubber for the Kings exports There is here a wide margin for diff ference. All the natives that MT. Wack's book shows in plenteous photography are fat and heartylooking-and not too much clothed to conceal the fact.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-02-27
Public Conveniences.

Tn this Home of the Brave-the for mer Land of the Free-we lack the conveniences and low rates for public service that other countries enjoy, England in particular. Says the Chi cago News:
 When resident of Great Britain goes into a postoffce or postal station in that country he finds number of facilities there available for his use. At one coun- ter he can buy stamps and small letters or papers. At another he can send tele- grams over the postoffee telegraph sys- tenn to any part of the United Kingdom at the rate of 12 cents for the first twelve words and 1 cent for every additional word. If he prefers to confer with his correspondent orally he can make use of the postoffice telephone, paying low charge for ng-distance service. Or if he desires, he can arrange to have the postoffce establish a telephone service in his home or office. If he comes not to spend money but to save it, he can deposit his cash in the postofflce saw lnBS Ddnk Ilt PItlti dlpAhSi form of saving he can take out post office life insurance policy for any amount between $25 and $500. If he has parcel or package of any kind which he wishes to send away he can arrange to let the postoffce carry it. the only stipulation being that the parcel must not exceed eleven pounds in weight or six feet in length and girth combined. Mailing a fve-pound parcel costs IA cents, while one weighing eleven pounds can be sent for 24 cents.
 A dozen monopolies stand in the way of such rates and such public convepiences in this country, and those monopoies are stronger in Con gress-particularly in the Senate than are the people. The people must therefore pay monopoly rates, getting in return monopoly concessions only. Government of the people, by the people, for the people exists in Great Britain in the highest degree.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-02-27
The Stock Market.

Henry Clews Wall street letter of Saturdays date says:
 Tn spite of record d-breaking prices and the absence of many influential operators the upward movement in the stock mar ket continues. Speculative ardor seems to be steadily increasing, and though many properties are apparently above what conditions really warrant there is nothing in sight at the moment to count eract the upward tendency; hence the general disposition just now apears to be to let values continue on their upward course until conditions are more ripe to force a fall
 AS stated in previous advices condi- tions are particularly favorable to specu- lative manipulation. Loanable funds are plentiful; the prevalent spirit is optimls- tic; general business is active, sound and profitable; our railroads are enjoying ex- ceptional prosperity, and so too are most branches of industry and agriculture"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-02-27
STANDARD OIL PROFITS.

From the New York Press.
 In the twenty-three years of it's exist ence the Standard Oil company has paid s496 065o 900 in dividends on it's Sl00, GOO of stock This s496, ,O65oOO is considerably more than one-fifth of all the money gold, silver and paper-in the United States
 The GOO hitherto distributed does not represent the total profits of the oil combine. What its surplus and undivided profits are no one outside of the inner most hiearclN of the oil kings knows. Nor is there any means of knowing how much is spent each year in lobbying and influencing legislation, and in crushing competition and strengthening the grip of the combine on its monopoly,
 By far the larger part of the Standard oil profits have been accumulated In the last nine and a quarter years. Prior to 1896 the total dividends paid amounted to less than sl3O,000,000 Since that date the profits have been on such a scale that the total is astounding.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-02-27
From the New York World.

From the New York World.
 E ENRY WELLINGTON wACK, F. 6l1 R. G. S., is out in fat volume in defense of King Leopold of the Belgians and his administration of the Congo Free State, which has been savage1y attacked by British critics and by missionaries.
 It is a big question, suddenly made bigger by expanding trade. Exports, say s10OOo.000. imports less than half as much-here are figures that show the property Leopold has willed to Belgium to be rather valuable.
 The Congo Free State is about two- thirds of the territory ruled by the Con go International convention, about l., 900, GOO square miles out of 1,5O0, OoO in all. No one knows how many people it has. but there may be 2OOOO0OO; even that enormous number would be but thin population, for the territory is ninety times as big as Belgium.
 An impression that it is thinly inhabit- ed, says MT. Wack, is given by the fre- quent deserted villages seen along its rivers. These are due to the migratory iiehoAAs OA lIlt ptbPitt WHICH lHc iociSloiS are said to be trying to cure. The na- tiyes will leave a village and build a new one for no better reason than that some one has died of a mysterious dis ease. indicating the disfavor of the fe- tishes. Perhaps they may be right, though MT. Wack does not say so. Miss Kingsley, an equally expert observer, found for most fetish obseryances in Africa some reason in real hygiene Per haps it's just as well for the natives to leave a diseased village when they know nothing about sanitation.
 A big country is this, where big things happen in the dark. There is black army of 140O0 men. In the days wher. the Belgian force was smaller it met and beat 25.000 troops of the Arab slave-tra1- ers-only half properly armed, however. Then the size of the slave trade; MT. Waek calculates that 16,OCG,OJ0 black slaves have in all been taken out of Africa and that 2O,O0OOOO more have died in transit-36O 100000 in all. We know that when the slave skows and brigs of the pious Peter Fanuel, or of the first fami- lies of Rhode Island, ran into storms on their westward course, they battened down the hatches upon hundreds Of poor
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-02-27
ORIGIN OF THE TURKEY.

From the Boston Globe
 The original name of turkey was Oocoocoo, by which it was known to the Cherokee Indians. The Pilgrim fathers in roaming through the woods in search or Thanksgiving game for their first Thanksgiving spread heard the Oocoocoo calling in the familiar tones of our do- mesticated fowl, Turk, turk, turk" These first Yankee huntsman. mistaking this frightened cry of the bird for it's real song immediately labeled it "tur- key and turkey it is to this day.
 This is one explanation of the name turkey. But some will try to think to- day that a bird by any other name would taste as sweet.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-02-27
Inauguration Week Mail.

The Washington Post has issued the following circular letter:
 During inaugural week the Washing ton Post will be pleased to provide special facilities for handling all letters addressed in care of this office, intend- ed for any of your readers who may be in Washington and desire to avail them selves of the privilege.
 "All signs indicate ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS attendance at the inauguration and the usual congestion and delay in the dis tribution of mail to hotels and boarding houses will result.
 "-rha Washington Post is centrally To- cated-Pennsylvania avenue near TOUT teenth street-always open day and night and all mail received here will be
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-02-27
From the Louisville Courier-Journal.


 lume" for s10OO the other day is another of many circumstances that prove that the cratic and unhappy au- thor who was the target of implacable malignancy in his lifetime is in recent years fast gaining recognition as one of the worlds literary geniuses
 It is time. Poe has been dead little over fifty-f1ve years. Many of these saw no change in the belittering attitude of the public toward his work and his mem ory. Then there began to dawn upon literary observers that the world had sighted a man of great talents. Now 1t is generally granted that Poe blazed new trail in literature and exerted an influence that has been felt in the broad field of fiction ever since.
 In the half-century that has elapsed there have arisen many limitations of Poe. but few equals. His short stories present such a commingling of keen analysis, prodigal imagination, vivid Eng fish and daring originality as to astound pass. His "Purloined Letter" Mystery of Marie Roget" and "The Murders In the Rue Morgoe" furnished a present. day writer a source for long series of detective stories that have made the writer rich and the name of the detec-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-02-27
Reorqanizlnq the Commission.

The Senate has stricken out the provisions in the House canal bill abolishing the canal commission, but the existing canal law says said commission shall in all matters be subject to the direction of the Presi- dent" The President names their
 compensation, and he possesses full nower of dismissal, and Congress re- tuses to lift the load from his s'suld-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-02-27
REFLECTIONS OF A BACHELOR

From the New York Press
 A good way to respect people is not to get too intimat~ with them.
 Ii will be time enough for woman to ride astradle when men sit down on the floor to put on their stockings.
 You can put it down for fact that when a husband and wife get along to- gether they don't have to keep telling ev- erybody so.
 A girl can get so mad with you for mussing up her hair that she will forget 10 be mad with you for the reason you did 1t.
 Women have extracted more value and happiness from a cook book than from all the works that ever were written on mental philosophy
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-02-27
sYPATHY FOR ALAsAMIANs.

From the Knoxville Sentinel.
 More than 100 men lost their lives in an Alabama mine. This is, next to the Coal Creek disaster. the worst of the kind known. The heart-rendering scenes here in the Tennessee mining town at that time made a scene never to be for gotten. Sympathy should go out to the Alabamians.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-02-27
CLOSE TO A RECORD.

From the Boston Herald.
 For a horrible disaster in a mine this one down in Alabama seems to have come close to achieving a record on the score of fatalities. It suggests inquiry as to whether the laws regulating the conduct of mining operations are as well framed and as efficiently enforced as they ought to be for the protection of the miners.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-02-27
Laroe Enterprises.

Did you notice the headlines of the fifth page of The Age-Herald Friday morning?" said a man about town yes terday.
 well, I think that just the headlines indicate the progress the city is making. The head for one story told of new s6Oo, 600 or S7OOOOO hotel slzyscraper, another of a new SSOOOOO industry, and another that in a little more than two days s14. GOO had been subscribed for the relief of he Virginia mine sufferers
 "A million dollars more invested in Bir- mingham is not small matter to say the least, and after seeing the figures, looked eagerly through the rest of the paper, expecting to find other surprises, to see if some hearted citizen had not sent old Vulcan railroad ticket, but I was disappointed"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-02-27
ith a crime. Therefore the church must

with crime. Therefore the church must punish her.
 In Chihuahua, far from the railroad, far from the towns, far from the planta- tion lands, there stands a convent. built of hewn stone quarried from the moun- tains around it. It is huge, gray stone building, covering with it's wall-inclosed yards, gardens and compounds, several acres It looks more like a prison than a convent.
 It was to this convent that Inez Men dosa Aguillo was taken in order that she might do penance for her sins. In this convent the Sonora Inez must remain for four years. One month in each of the four years must be spent in solitary con- finement. On four nights of each week of this month she must do penance-four hours on each of the four nights.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-02-27

Spring is really and truly here, for the robins and book beer signs have put in an appearance.
 ---e----- ----- The ghost of De Lesseps has been heard to ehackle over the pickle we are in at Panama. Massachusetts high school girls decline to be limited to ten-dollar graduation dresses. Hannah Elias Is coming out of the con hict better fnancier than Mrs Chad wick The Presidential campaign of 1908 is beginning to take on form and substance.
 -.s.----- Nobody asks nowadays, What is the matter with Kansas?' She's all right.
  The grand dukes are preparing to travel abroad The Russian people are willing. Persons who are going to the inaugura ton should not forget their earmuffs.
  Russia Is very tranquil. The bomb- throwers are taking a brief vacation.
  John D. Rockefeller is not at present endowlng colleges in bleeding Kansas.
  The Standard OH is convinced there is too much freedom in this country.
 --------.s-------- Dupont powder is about to displace Addieks barrel which is empty.
  The anti-exr eetoration crusade is spreading over the country.
  Grand dukes are, in the insurance lists marked "extra hazardous"
  Kansas should put Miss Ida Tarbell in Senator Burtons seat.
  Maxim Gorky is content. His captors are booming his books.
  The iceberg season in eastern harbors has not been ended
  The Shoot case goes over to the extra session also. The Panama republic is actually year old.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-02-27
TIP FOR CONGRESS.

From the Columbus. Ga., Enquirer-Sun.
 Senator Morgan, of Alabama, declares that he does not believe that the Panama canal will ever be built any way If Congress had followed the Alabama statesman the canal would have been dug long ago
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-02-27
CONFEDERATION PROMISED.

From the Baltimore American
 Kansas wantl. sthrdau thp TmHthe2
 Kansas wants the aid of Mrs. Lawson in fighting the oil trust, and if he enters the fray with frenzied finance, not all the oil controlled by the trust will ever Mll the stormy waters.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-02-27

The Nebraska legislature is considering bill to prohibit the sale of patent medi- cines containing more than 10 per cent of alcohol. The saloons keep those of higher percentages, and the legislature seems to think the drug stores should not sell them.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-02-27

The rivers and harbors bill is safely beyond Uncle Joe Cannon's Jurisdiction. although 1t may have to be sent to a conference committee.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-02-27

If Uncle Sam is to collect the billion dollars the South American republics owe. he will be the biggest bill collector of the age
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-02-27

John D. Rockefeller Is no doubt sur prised that the American people still have some energy and independence on tap.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-02-27

sorted promptly and delivered upon ap- plication.
 "The convenience afforded by this ar rangement will apeaL no doubt, to many of your readers and, through you. we take pleasure in extending an invitation to them to make use of it.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-02-27

It is feared that Senator Tillman will never be able to return to public life He has gone home to South Carolina.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-02-27

Public men are broader than they formerly were" says the Rev. Dr. Hills. He must have had Secretary Taft in view
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-02-27

Spring is appearing in all parts of the country and the inhabitants are trying to forget the late upleasantness.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-02-27

The winters spinal column Is by no means fractured north of Mason and Dixon's line. and it is pretty sound south of it.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-02-27
POE'S VALUE AS A POET
 FAST GAINS RECOGNITION

tive-character household word. Yet in ingenious, intellectual, subtle, intense and absorbing tales of Poe.
 As a poet Poe had moments of superb inspiration, even though he may not be classed above the ranks of the minor poets. "The Raven,'' his st-known poem, weird, melodramatic and frenzied though it is would be worthy the fame of even more towering poet. "Annabel Lee is of strong popular appeal In it's simplicity and sentiment Nett Ter of the is marvellous strain of sadness and mysticism and symbolism in this. As in many of his other verses, Poe in 'Ula- lume" laments a lost love-
 '"rhe skies they were ashen and sober: The leaves they were crisped and sere- The leaves they were whitening and sere; It was night in the lonesome October
 or my most immemorial year:
 It was hard by the dim lake of Auber
 In the misty mid region of Weir It was down by the dank tarn of Auber
 In the ghoul-haunted woodland of
 Weir"
 That is the beginning. The rest is too familiar to make repetition desirable. but familiarity will never diminish the haunt ing beauty of its lines nor mar the irn- pressiye picture it gves of the longing lovers visit to his sweetheart's tomb.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-02-27

The Standard oil does not mind the national government. but it is uneasy over the action of Kansas
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-02-27

KuropatlSin now has Japanese raiders and Chinese bandits in his rear, while Oyama stands ready to assail him in front.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-02-27

On Saturday next President Roosevelt will begin his own term of four years with an intention of making it strenuous from start to ending.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-02-27

Philadelphia is corrupt and contented.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-02-27

Spring is really and truly here. for the robins and book beer signs have put in an appearance.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-02-27

The ghost of De Lesseps has been heard to chuckle over the pickle we are in at 1 f3ap.raa
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-02-27

Massachusetts high school girls decline to be limited to ten-dollar graduation dresses.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-02-27

Hannah Elias Is coming out of the con fict a better inancler than Mrs. Chad wick
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-02-27

Entered the Birmingham, Ala, post office as second-class matter under act of Congress, March 5, 1879.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-02-27

ArAi wet his grave with my repentant tears.
 king Richard III.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-02-27

Daily and Sunda. Age-Herald. ..ss. DO Daily and Sunday, ger month. ..-...-.. ID Sunday Ase-Herald, per annpm........ 2o0 Weekly Age-Herald, per annum....... LW
 Subscription payable in advance.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-02-27

The Presidential campaign of 1908 is beginning to take on form and substance
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-02-27

Maxim Gorky is content. His captors are booming his books.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-02-27

The iceberg season in eastern harbor has not been ended
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-02-27
CHARITY OF A MILLIONAIRE.

win come home to roost.
New-York tribune., 1905-06-27

FOREIGN.-The uprisings at Lodz have spressu
TO all Poland and many provinces OF ftussia q
proper where the most serious Phase OF @ lns
trouble is the rebellion OF the psasalts' trooh's
storrrred barTicades in Warsaw; the nuIneer OF
casualties reported shows instsauens OF a Inest
strict censorship; all business mas ceAsed eeth II
FTarsevy and Iodz. Chinese say that a
JaDanese advance has begun but the Russian
staff denies the report: many japanese scouting
rarfjes are active on the tanks.
DOMEsTIC.-The President recsived from
hot b Russia and Japan the statement that psa.ss
uleuipotentiaries OF both natters VIII meet IN
Washington within the Rrst ten sayE Of August
- The condition of Secretary Hay. VINO was
taken suddenly Ill at bis suInnlex home on
Sunapee Lake. y. a., was reported as mueh
inprove6 - The President appointed fernrPr
Senator McCoEas, of Maryland, 70 sucosed Jus
tice Martin e Morris who resigned from tbs
Court OF Appeals of the District OF Columbla
g. President Roosevelt left Washington f5r
Cambridge Mass.. to attend the commencement I
exercises at Harvard University. - Class
day exercises were participated IN sy noth use
academic and the scientific seniors at Yale, and
Secretary Taft addressed the graduates OF the
Tew school Herbart BtrdsaIl, a youth
eighteen years OLD, accidentally shot and killed
Edward Rush, a companion Of the same age. al
Stamford Conn, and then teok his own Efe
Governor Folk. at Jefferson City, Mo-, de-
e clared that either the Missouri National Gusrd
the next twenty-four hours to raid the alleged
booknakers at Delmsr race track. - John
c. Welty at Columbus safe he expected the
domination for Governoy at the Democratic Gen.
vention, which meets ts-morrew.
CITY.--Stocks were strong and active - A
severe windstorm in Harlem blew down uil-
finished apartment heuae, killing and
lnjuring many others. - general strike
was ordered on the new home Of Charles NJ
Schzyab- - Mayor Mcclellan refused a per
init for the Chinese brigade to carry guns durins
parade. - Weak water pressure greatly
ampered the work of 1remsn at three fires
THE Observation-Disclosures for to-day;
Fair. fresh Winds north to northeast Ths
temperature yesterday; Highest, s. degrees;
lowest, 60