davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-10-01

papers. Then I braced up quick, cor
rallied every man who knew about it.,
and told them all that if a line of it
appeared in print every mothers son
of them would be fired quick. No, /
exacted no promises; they knew 1
meant business and promises weren't
necessary.
1T would be fine to tell you that my
hair turned gray on account of that
experience, but, as you see, what there
is left of it is still too dark to make
such a yarn go down. I had no more
accidents on that job. but I did have
trouble collecting my money from the
city; in fact, I haven't got it all even
yet, and the work was done years
ago"
Dynamite Contractors Dread.
All contractors who dig sewers or
foundations in rocky territory have 20
use dynamite, and every one Of them
al least subcOnsciOusly is worrying
about the explosive most Of the time,
both sleeping and waking
It plays some queer tricks with
of money once in a while. One in
stance of this kind came only the
other day in New York when a piece
of rock was blown high in the air by
blast set eff in the excavation of the
big hole where the new Pennsylvania
railroad station is to stand, and came
down two or three blocks away on the
roof of house. The reader may re
member that it went right down
through the roof, and, the hour being
early, struck a lad who was still sleep
ing in his bed on the head. and frac-
tured his skull
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-10-01

under repairs befalls the most careful
and conscientious contractor.
Such a disaster came to a contractor
in new York state city some years
ago, the details of which were we'll
known to the present writer. They in
Guided an escape on the part of the
contractor that was remarkable In
truth, the accident hurt no one, though
the building was entirely wrecked. It
happened early in the morning, before
the men had gone to work.
The repairs to this building, which
was of four stories. comprised the re-
arrangement of the partitions on the
upper three floors. and the putting on
of a new roof. Nothing whatever was
being done to the walls or foundations,
so there was no cause whatever to
suspect any danger Of collapse.
At about o'clock on the morning
of the accident the contractor. his
foreman, the owner of the building
and one skilled workman began an in
spection of the work, as far as il had
gone. Having visited the three floors
above the street level, they climbed
the narrow stairs leading to the roof.
1t was then a little after $50. and the
workmen on the sob were beginning
to assemble in front of the building.
suddenly and without warning" as a
local afternoon paper told the story that
day. a great cracking and creakng was
heard and the men on the roof felt it set
tie The owner ran to the edge as if to
by the coat collar and prevented any such
historical foolishuess. One or two of the
wor6men started toward the building as
soon as they saw the bulging walls seem-
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-10-01

The most unfortunate contractor on
record of late years with dynamite
was the one who dug that part of the
New York subway tunnel from Thirty
third street to F'orty-secOnds under the
Park avenue street car tunnel. Sew
eral times dynamite was set off on
that section that should EYER have
been exploded, the climax coming with
the memorable explosion that partial
ly wrecked the Murray Hill hotel, kill
ing some and Wounding others. Al
ready this contractors accidents had
cost him thousands. This bankrupted
him, and later there came a final one
which killed him.
1t is easy to say that no careful
contractor can be the victim Of such
you such talk is all nonsense. An Gle
ment of luck enters into it. and the
most careful contra ctOr that ever lived
is liable any day to be the victim Of
pure unavoidable accident or of care
less Workmen-men who you'd I'M
agine would be especially careful, be-
cause their own lives viii be placed IN
danger from any heedlessness.
Contractors Narrow Escape.
sewer and subway builders are by
no means the only contractors who
are in constant danger of the romance
of accident. The builder has his share
of that sort of thing.
The falling of a building in the
course of erection by a reputable con-
tractor is a rarity Such an accldenL
can be much more surely guarded
against than the explosion OF dynamite
But the collapsing of an old Dulldlng
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-10-01

those things? Perhaps not, but they
are sometimes highly exciting, since
they may mean that the work is going
to cost the contractor a lot more to do
than he expected, and if he has not
provided for just such contingencies in
his contract he may be out good deal
more than he expected his profits to
foot up.
Finding Cuicksand or subterranean
water courses when sewer digging is
sometimes little less than a. financial
catastrophe. Next to strikes, what the
contractor breads most. 0s course, is
accidents, and, oe course, he always
gets them. The certainty that they will
come is accompanied by a delightful I'M
certainty as to when they will happen
and what form they will take. A con-
tractor of my acquaintance who put in
a five mile sewer with many laterals
in middle sized city a number of
years ago was telling me about this
combined certainty and uncertainty re-
garding accidents. He had nearly fin
ished the contract and had suffered
only a few trif1ing mishaps. Only one
man had been killed and the money loss
from casualties had been hardly worth
speaking about
Contractors sUperstitiOus.
Il felt so good about it" he said,
that I was foolish enough to mention
the circumstances, though I knew bet
ter. But had no sooner told one or
two friends how lucky I had been than
L began to feel it in my bones that
trouble was brewing. Whether it was
due to come in the form of an accident
or trouble in getting my pay-city gov
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-10-01
Startling Moments in Exper-
fence of the Contractor.
He Has Thrilling Experiences
Without Number.
ALWAYS ON THE ALERT
Expecting the Unexpected and
DiscOunting Accidents.
Sewer Builders Narrow EscaDe
From Sudden Death.
ALWAYS ON THE ALERT


You might think the contractor the
last man to run across romance in the
course of his everyday business, but he
isn't. In fact, he is perhaps, a little
more likely to encounter the uuexpect-
ed. the unusual than most men. Sup
pose. for instance, that he has to build
a sewer system and has already gone
through the job Of getting the contract
signed. CThere's a good deal of what
the ordinary citizen would think out of
the ordinary about that operation, by
the way, sometimes, only this isn't just
the place to speak about IT'D From
the day Of breaking the ground till the
completion Of the work the man with
such q contract is constantly expecting
the unexpected.
Thus, as he well knows his men may
find rocks where clay is looked for,
Quicksand where rock is suspected, or
q subterranean water course just where
the solfdest imaginable sub soil ought
to be. Nothing romantic about any Of
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-10-01

ernments are sometimes mighty poor
pay masters couldn't conjecture, but,
anyway I knew it was coming and
Knocked hard on wood right away
Think I'm too SuDerstitiOus? Well,
let me tell you what happened the next
day and then see what you think
Although a good deal was yet to be
done, the main line of the trunk sewer
was completed and several of the lat
erals were pouring in big streams. Then
came a heavy rain which made the
body Of water rushing through the big
pipe a big one. I was d little worried
about how q part of the work would
stand the pressure and went down a
manhole myself to do a little inspection
Well, sir. without any reason for it and
in some way that I never could describe,
I slipped into the stream in that trunk
sewer. It wasn't over my head, but
the current was too strong for me and
before I knew it I was off my feet and
fiOundering around. gasping for breath,
whenever my head was above water
and actually fighting for my life fifteen
or sixteen feet below the surface of the
street.
whether I'd ever get out or not I
didn't know, of course. I didn't spec
ulate much about it as I remember;
I didn't have the time nor the
strength But I did put in my best
ticks for safety, by floating as quietly
as I could so as to save my strength.
It was about two miles to where the
sewer emDtied into the river and I
thought if I could stand it that far I d
be all right.
Narrow Escape From Drowning.
But I didn't have to. Pretty soon
I saw a big beam of gray light shin
ing down through a hole in the sewer
arched roof and then I knew that 1
was coming to another manhole that
had been opened for inspection. To my
amazed delight a rope was hanging
from the manhole so low that it was
dropping in the water. How I did it
don't remember any more than how
1 fell in but as I floated under that
manhole I managed to grasp the rope.
1t was fast, fortunately; the men had
opened the manhole being still on the
ground. And so got out unaided, but
all bedraggled and so exhausted and
scared that I came near faintng.
ITO tell the truth. was worse
frightened after it was all over than
while I was floating along down in the
sewer. I hadn't time to be frightened
then. but afterward had all the time
there was on my hands That is, I
thought I had, until suddenly re-
membered that perhaps the story of
] my narrow escape might get in the
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-10-01

ing to think they might rush into tbs
building and rescue the men on tne 1901 1901.
of it and ran for their lives with THEM
fellows.
ening roar and great cloud Of dust; The
walls collapsed slowly, however and the
roof came down on an even keel, 90 seq g
speak, the owner frantically POPPING ABOUT
during the entire descent, while the con-
tractor hung on to him with the graLnnesS
Of death itself arrived 70 Hltnln ABOUT
Is or 20 feet Of the street level the down
ward tourney OF the roof was arrested and
then it balanced itself on great MOUND
of brick, broken glass boards and Ilfa-
After a. little owner, contractor, foreman
and skilled Workmen were helped 10 de-
scend hysterfeaI and trembling with ner-
voltsness to be sure. but quite unhurts
the cloud Of fine dust which the collapse
had raised.
Romance OF Making Bids.
Certainly few more thrilling moments
have been experienced by any men than
those which came to the contractor who
saved himself from the raging waters OF
the trunk sewer and he who rode to the
street from above the fourth floor Of a.
of the contractors life are by no means
confined to those which grow out Of aecl-
There is hardly a contractor of any
weight in any city who could not tell q
score OF good yarns ABOUT Lae , snIllls LIZ -
come sometimes when blds are being mace
m for city work and big contracts Tor
corporations of business intrigueS plotted
with much beating of hearts, months IN
advance; of cleverly laid schemes to learn
the plans of the other contractors; OF mon
ev raised with difficulty, impartlally 10
grease the palms Of the grafters on botn
sides of the political fence in order that
there may be no falling through OF well
laid plans when the awards are finally
made; Of days and nights Of racking un-
certainty sometimes terminated with the
securing of the coveted contract and con-
sequent fortune, winning; sometimes term
mated by loss of the award and OCCASION
ally financial ruin
In OIL in beef and pork, in tobacco IN
sugar and in some other commodities,
I great combina lions which we term trusts
have been built up to prevent Just suen
/ uncertainties due to competition and more
successfully than is to the liking OF the
most of US too. Contra citing trusts nave
Z been attempted from time to time also
and with some little degree OF success oc-
casionally, though generally they nave
been futile.
Possible the labor unions furnish the
chief reason for the comparatively nom
success of the attempted combinations Of
[ the contractors; possibly the chief reason
lies in the inherent nature Of the contract
ing business. At all events, as long, as II
Z remains essentially what ii is and human
nature is unchanged, there will be plenty
of composition. And as long as there IS
Commentator there win be no lack of ex-
citement, Of thrills, of uncertainty IN the
contractors day work.-(Copyrigh 1904
! by Mcclure Phillips & Coz
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1905-05-12
GREENVILLE


Prof Thomas Angel Of Maine is visiting
at his old home here.
Mrs. Z. oatley is seriously i'll at this
writing.
Asa Stccre started for Maine, Tuesday
where he has work.
MI and Mrs. Fred Wiusor Of North
Providence visited friends here Sunday.
Mrs. Stephen Brown was the recipient
of a Maybasket Saturday evening hung by
several friends from Allendale. 1t is need
less to say they went in to have a social
chat.
Sunday afternoon at 30 the Thank
Offering service Of the woman's Missionary
Society will be held at the +. b church
instead Of the preaching service. Miss
Laura DeMcrritt Of Ocean Park will give
an address and special music, reading, etc.
have been prepared. All are cordially
welcome TO this service.
Miss Ora Angel is visiting relatives in
washington, -. I.
At the scmi-annual business meeting Of
Of the Christian Endcavor Society last
Friday evening the following officers were
elected for six months: President, Mrs.
Mary NJ Eldridge, vice president, Mrs
Matte Waleott, secretary, Bessie NJ
nowry, treasurer, Mary NJ Steerc. Look.
out Committee-Lora L. Oatlcy chairman,
Rev 6. b. Cutler, Mary Brayton, Mrs.
Stephen w. Austin, Jennie l.. Winsor
Prayer Meeting Committee-Cora L Bur-
lingame, Chairman, Mrs. Matte Wacott,
Mary Brayton, Nettie Eddy, Mrs. Arthur
Winsor Missionary Committee Nettie
G Eddy, Chairman Lulu b. Winsor, Lora
f Oatley. Mary S Wnsor, Fred Burbank
Social Committee-MayB L. Lamb, chairman
Mary Winsor, Ethelyn Kemp, Harold T..
Smith, Charles Cutler, Charles Stcere, VIM.
Brown, Mary NJ. Steere, Florence Cole,
Flora Wade, Edith NJ. Hall, Florence Bray.
ton, Howard Hall, Byron Winsor, Sidney
Winsor. Music Committee - Edith NJ.
Hall, chairman, Cora l.. Burlingamc,
Ethelyn Kemp, Rose A. Sebille, Howard
Hall, Harold Smith. Flower committee
Thomas Thornton, chairman, Harold J.
Jones, VIM Philips, Ruth Z. Steere, May
B. Lamb Information Committee Mary
5 Winsor, chairman, Ethelyn Kemp,
Lulu i. Winsor. Press Committce-Har-
old 7. Smith organist, Cora L. Burlingame,
Ist asst, Mary Winsor; end ass Mary
Brayton.
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1905-05-12
NORTH SCITUATE.
Respectfully submitted.
EMILE ] PIERCE
President
w. G. +. L.

The Allen King place is no, sold as was
reported in the Times.
Rev. Mr.. kenzic OF New York is the new
principal at the Institute.
Mrs. Anthony Corcoran and Miss Mamie
Corcoran of Manton were the guests Of Mrs
Abby Blanchard on Sunday.
A number from here attended the prayer
meeting at +. \. Bailey's on Monday even
ing.
The annual meeting Of the Free Baptist
Association which is held the week Of MAY
2Ist, will probably draw quite delegation
from this place.
Geo. Berkhansen and Harry Potter OF
Providence were the guests Of Mr.. and Mrs.
Henry King on Sunday.
Miss Edith Tucker has taken a position
in Providence.
Elisha Wnsor has the contract for the
alterations on Mrs. Ellen peckham's house.
There are several cases OF the mumps in
the village.
Walter Spencer and family has removed
to one OF Thomas Simmons tenements.
There was no school at the Academy Dis
trict last Friday as A. B. Bennett the prn-
cpal, went to New York on business trip.
Mrs Edward Moore is quite i'll with in.
hammatory rheumatism.
Mrs. VIM. X. Randall has returned from
Lowell with her daughter, Mrs. A. T.. Ken
yon.
Mr. Stephen Poole and Miss Carrie Poole
Of Fall River, and Mr.. and Mrs. George I.
Jordan Of Providence, visited Mrs. Stephen
Bowen on Sunday.
Miss Nellie Wakeley, daughter Of Rev.
and Mrs. Sidney Wakeley, who has been
teaching school at Clinton. Me-. has come
to Scituate, where she will reside.
The Twentieth Century Literary club
met on Friday evening Of las, week with
Miss Ehe Eddy. Three new members
were voted in. The elnb will meet this
evening with Byron Wakeley.
DR.. Lillian Wentworth Of Augusta, Nc.
was the guest over Sunday Of DR.. Clara
Bennett.
A handsome marble hesdstone will be
placed in the Glenford Cemetery this week
in memory Of the late Mrs. Ellen Hopkins.
Arrangements have been made 10 have
special cars convey delegates to the Free
Baptist yearly meeting, which occurs May
z5z5 at East Killinsly, c., "Wednesday
May z4, which will be observed az Young
Peoples Day there will be a special car,
leaving Providence al rs a. m. and in the
afternoon leaving the cityst44S an extra
car will render aeeomodatons for attend.
ants al the evening session. Special round
trip tickets sosting IS cents from Providence
and S cents from North Seituste may be
obtained only Of l.. o. Card OF North Sci,-
u,te or Of J.. b. S,illmsn Of Providence.
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1905-05-12
POINTED PARAGRAPHS,

Don't be misfortune teller.
IT you can't do anything else, try "a
keep out OF the way.
You don't have TO bc impolitc TO poo
pie because you dislike them
Don't think up mean things In your
mind which you intend To say II you
get the chance.
Don't tell your wrongs TO your friends
unless you want 10 discover that their
enthusiasm In very weak.
When an accident happens, there Is
always some one present to tell how
Il could have been avoided.
A man never knows tin he gets out
OF the rut how many iolts ana bruises
he would have missed by staying In IT,
u Is figured that one rich mans son
who has all the money ne can spend
will spoil ten poor young men In the
course of his life and not half try
Atchison Globe.
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1905-05-12
PERSONAL

Miss Dora sheldon 81 Plaindeld street
starts mex, week on a trip to Europe.
W. II. Stone has removed to $50 Lowell
avenue.
George Farrell and family have removed
10 Conimicut for the summer.
Mrs Z. NJ. Robbins Of Yves, Harwieh,
Mass, is visiting friends in this section.
Rev. +. w Cole formerly Of this place
was one Of the speakers at the Harmony
Lodge centennial at Paw,uAet on Tuesday.
K. X. Pond, formerly local agen, of the
International Correspondence schools, is
now with the United Cigar stores Co. at
Providence.
Mr.. and Mrs. George + Jordan of Bar
rows street spent Sunday with friends in
North Scitua,e.
For sale.-Small house with 20 acres
III Seituate, near electrics. Inquire at
o5 Chaplin avenue, city.
Howard L. Thompson Of Boston was in
town Tuesday.
llobe Ferris, Of this place, the star second
baseman of the Boston Americans, has been
of duty several days this week with an in
jured thumb
VIM. O'Brien Of Lena street has been
visiting friends in New York this week.
Miss Matte Austin, stenographer at the
JosIn Mfg. Co.'S Mill at Merino, has sew
cred her connection there and accepted a
position with the American Textile Co.
NJ. +. Braney, VIM. Pla,t and Frank
Campbell OF the annex enjoyed fishing
trip to Connecticut on Tuesday and We'd.
nesday.
Geo Bishop, Chas. fenner and Fred
LaVoice, we'll known Omeyvlle car men,
enjoyed fishing trip to Lake Moswansieut
Wednesday.
Sugden's 5 eating house at No II Hart
ford auenue is neat homelikc and COM
Portable. The best place for a square
meal or a lunch. Good tea a specially.
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1905-05-12
UNIQUE AZTAlAN.
The onfs prick Walled Town site
Found I'm This Country.

In many respects AZtalan. In Wiscou.
sin. is among the most remarkable pre-
historic monuments I'm the northwest.
IL is the only brick walled town site
found in this country. IL is on the bot
tom land OF the CraytiSh river. about
two miles from Lake Mills. The luclnS
ing walls of the town site are about
700 feet on its fiankS and about l.5OO
feet long. The river served Go com
plctc the incloSurc of seventeen acrcS
OF land.
Within and without the iucloSurc
there are round. truncatcd ami obloug
mounds. Just beyond the uclosing
walls the land rises abruptly over
twenty feet to the rolling table lands
OF the surrounding country From the
bank above stone could hc tossed i'm.
to the town site within the Enclosure.
which would seem to Ice a good reason
why this Enclosure. which has been
called n fort. could not have been in.
tended for a defense against amy m.
man enemy.
Along the brow of the higher land
is row of more than thirteen round
pyramidal mounds ranging from three
TO twelve feet in height From The top
of these mounds or standing uu the
table land an enemy could command
the whole town site. II has always
been conceded that Azlalau was not
incloscd FOR purposes of defense II
has been supposed that Il was walled
for protection from wild animals.
though the iuclosurc has never been
high or abrupt enough since It's dis.
covery 10 keep ont the panther Wild
cat. wolf, bear, moose aud buffalo, which
were the only dangerous animals or
the woods hcrcahout
Tho purpose of It's inhabitants m
constructing this inclosurc over half
mile long still remains mystery The
most remarkable art OF Azlalau Is lis
brick walls AMI walks In This n rs
singular and alone, the only example
of bricklaying among all the mom
mcnts ~ the mound builders. These
bricks or hricklcts are not rcctangu.
lar and regular In form aud size. rs are
tho modern brick. They are simply
balls OF plastic clay welded 10y the
hand into small brlcklets of Irregular
form about tho average size OF a snow,
ball The material used was the
glacial yellowish rcd clay of the vi.
cinlty. and the color of the bricks n
red or light yellow, undor the glass
scrapings appear like n handful of
crystal sand Minneapolis Journal
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1905-05-12
SAUNDERSVILLE.

The SaundersyilIe school began May Ist
with Miss Doyle as teacher.
Asahel Hopkins Is very busy with his
wheelwright business.
Joseph Broehu has purchased "a buggy
Mrs. Charles Tucker who was recently
bitten BY dog is suffering quite seriously
from the wounds.
Amos Smith has removed 20 Foster
Mr.. and Mrs. Charles Tucker Jr, arc
living in the annex.
Planting is progressing well.
Its aid tha. the Thon,ons Of Sci,aaie
and Smithfcld arc herr 20 man named
Loihrop, who died intestale in Providence
some months ago. His estate was valued
a, several hundred thousand dollars.
Joseph Leach visited friends in Hope
this week
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1905-05-12

The annual roll call at the Broadway
Baptist Church on Monday evening, ss
usual proved very pleasant and profit
able occasion. over three hundred
members responded to their names and
nearly fifty responded by letter. being
unable to be present. The following
programme was given after which re.
freshments were served: Singing, "IIow
Firm a Foundation. when the
Mists Have Rolled in splsndor'', True
Hearted, Whole Hearted" Scripture,
Hebrews xiii, I:7f, ~. l.. Streeter;
singing, Nearer My God TO Thee
prayer, pastor, J. V. osterhout; duet,
Chas. and Mabel Fiskc, remarks, c. W.
Calder; singing, "Blest be the Tie that
Binds" solo, Edward " Wheeler. piano
solo, Chas. Fiske; remarks, W. l.. Clark,
solo, T.. ". Wheeler; record Of messages
by mail duet, Chas. and Mabel Fiske;
remarks, T. p. Mason; singing, When
the Roll is Called, Up Yonder," notices,
remarks BY pastor; singing, doxology'