davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-07-02

/ granted the Birmingham Railway, Light
and Power company without any time
limit and which, they therefore, claim
TO hold in perpetuity. We do not presume
to express an opinion as to the legality
of such a franchise, but SO far as is shown
by the treasurer's records, the first require
ment has not been met. On February
board providing that before any franchise
was granted. $1,000 must be deposited with
the city treasurer; and we cannot find
that this was ever done. We think 1t
would be advisable to look into this mat
ter. and If possible, retrieve the serious
error made by the former administration
IN giving away valuable franchise such
as this was.
On May the city had ON deposit with
the Peoples Savings Bank and Trust COM
pany of its various funds, s344.S11 30. Ac-
cording to the last published statement OF
the bank its capital, surplus and undi-
vided profits amounted to S109, 1926; indi-
vidual deposits 1892. 663.97.
It will thus be seen tnat the city's de-
posts with this bank were more than
three times as much as its entire capital
and surplus, and constituted 30 per cent
of the total deposits. If this bank were to
become involved the deposits not bear
ing interest would have to be paid in full
before the city could share in the dis
tribution. In view of these facts. we
think 1t would be wise for the city to
bond its deposits for an amount sufficient
to cover them. The city can well afford to
do this. as its deposits are now drawing
4 per cent interest per annum. This could
not be construed in anyway rejecting
on the bank, as 1t is becoming the custom
where large sums are involved. We have
In mind a case in point where the First
National bank of Birmingham and the
American Trust and Savings bank were
required not long ago to give bond for
a special fund which they had on deposit.
Respectfully submitted.
GEORGE T. RossoN,
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-07-02
UNSOLICITED BACK TAXES MAY /, 1905.


j. j. - . .
. . .
. " . . , . .
Nccfosln .
. " ~ . . . " . . .
j. - . .
J. e. ,..... 3
:. -. " . . .
. .
OF Ok. p. . -.
. . . . . . . .
j r. . "
j. - . " " =. 1000 $3.50
Altman j j. tM) . . !. , . . . . , %
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-07-02
Mayors Department.

We attach herewith statement No. a.
showing cash fines RENTED by the mayor
January /, 1904. to May l, 1905, SIS. III
pound fees RENTED same period. $123 To-
While 1t is true that the mayor had the
authority to remit fines. and could have
remitted all fines mposed-as his power
in this particular WAS unlimited-we deem
1t proper to call your attention to the I'M
reasonable extent to which this has been
carried. This is especially true of his ac-
ton in RENTING wholly or in part the
fines imposed by the judge of the inferior
criminal court for carrying concealed
weapons There are but two instances DUR
ing the period under review in which the
full amount of cash fine has been paid.
and both these parties were strangers
The judge of the court appears to have
done his full duty in attempting to sup
press this evil practice. which has been a
daily menace to the lives Of your citizens,
and which has been the most fruitful
source Of the great number of homicides
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-07-02

street department pay rolls for the first
half of each month, amounting to more
than $1,000
The expenses have not always been
properly distributed to the various ac-
counts with the result that the books
do not show the correct cost of each
department. Two accounts in particular
have been loaded with expenses that do
not properly belong to them. namely.
prison account and Judgment and
costs" The entire expense of maintain
ing the Southside prison, including the
provisions and all incidental expenses,
has been charged to prison account
This should all have been charged to the
street department, as the Southside pris-
on Is used exclusively for taking are OF
the prisoners who work on the streets.
So that, in order TO arrive at the cost of
the street department. the expense of
maintaining the Southside prison should
be added to the amount shown on the
books. For the sixteen months examined
by US this expense amounted to nearly
$4,000
Nearly all the rebates on assessments
for public improvements which were paid
for by the city have been charged to
Judgments and costs" account, when
they should have been charged to an ac-
count which would show on the face of
1t the purpose for which these payments
were made.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-07-02
Collection penartment.

Under the head of Exception to Real
and Personal and Merchants Tax" the
report says:
While the statement of collections and
payments of the real and personal and
merchants tax collector show that only
a few errors have been made in account
ing for such collections, leaving 81 II due
by him, he has not performed his full
duty in making such collections A num-
her of items have been marked off on
the real and personal and merchants tax
books for the year 1904 consisting of tax
on personal property, without authority
of the board. While no doubt they were
uncollectible, they should not have been
marked off without having first been re-
ferred to the board and its authority
secured for doing so.
In addition to the above, the records
show that certain parties have been fa-
vored by allowing their taxes to remain
unpaid without any attempt to enforce
collection as required by law. This fact
was so apparent that the present treas
urer and tax collector, who went into Of
fee last month deemed it necessary to
write letters to a number Of these prop
erty owners notifying them that he
would be compelled to do his duty and
enforce collections by law If their taxes
We're not promptly paid. Attached to thls
report will be found a list of the unpaid
back taxes referred to. marked State
ment No. 49, which statement is made
part of this report.
In this connection we wish to say that
in our opinion the tax valuations as as
sessed by the property owners and mer-
chants are ridiculously low. thereby de-
priving the city OF a considerable share
of its legitimate income. This is especial
ly true of the merchants assessments
The total assessed value of the stocks or
merchandise in the city amounts to 81
100000 There are eight mercantile es-
adjustments in the city whose stocks
of merchandise will aggregate considera-
ably more than this total amount assess
ed. If the assessments Of real and per-
sonal property, including merchandise
stocks, were fairly and honestly returned
there should be no deficit in the city
treasury.
We deem it proper, however, to say
that Judge Garretson, the real and per-
sonal tax collector, in not enforcing the
collection of taxes against some persons,
merely followed the precedent which had
been set by his predecessors.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-07-02
Financial Condition.

We submit herewith statements Nos.
and Z, showing trial balances as of jan
uary l, 1905, and of May 1, 1905, both as
shown on books and as corrected by us.
and which statements form a part of this
report.
The apparent deficit on the face of the
books January ! Exclusive of bonded in
debtedness) was $50, 4203S; the real deficit,
as shown by our statement, was Sl34,-
S97. so,
The apparent deficit on the face of the
books May l exclusive of bonded in
debtedness) was s3S. 3s6.77 whereas the
real deficit, as shown on our statement
was sl03. Al.
1t will be seen by our estimate of pros
pectiye receipts and expenses to Septem-
Der !, 1905 lat which date the real and
personal taxes for 1865 become payabie)
the city will be short of the actual cur
rent expenses $117.s97 .01.
We have prepared this statement in or
der to acquaint your honor with the. true
condition of affairs so that you may see
the gravity of the situation.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-07-02

TENDER 1, December 1 and March l. where
as $4,000 was paid in October, $4,000 in
April and $500 in June. For the scholas-
tic year 1s04-l905 the appropriations should
have been $12,500 each September I, De-
cember / and March l. whereas they
were made $500 in October, $4,000 in Jan
uary, $4,000 in February and 5000 in
April. In addition to the $11S,000 appro-
priated to the Board of Education within
the last three years. the city has paid
s4321.7, making total of s122, 321.T.
We deemed 1t necessary to only COM
pile the figures for the past three years.
although the same state of affairs has
existed ever since the present charter
has been in effect
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-07-02

farther back than this and has found
so far about 81, 10000, which is due the
city for this work and which has not been
collected.
No record has been kept nor charge
made on the citys books for these items
they appearing as memorandum in the
back of the treasurer's receipt book, and
when such receipt book was used up and
filed away, the record was thereby lost.
and so far as the city's books showed
such amount had been lost sight of and
buried. We, however procured our in
formation from the copies of the bills in
the engineers office.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-07-02
EXCEPTION TO TREASURER'S DE-
PARTMENT.

Upon investigation we found that bills
rendered against corporations and some
individuals for street repairs made by the
city, and which bills had been turned
over by the engineering department to
the treasurer for collection, had not re-
ceived attention. The total amount due
the city for such work from January 1,
1904 to May 1, 1905, amounted in the ag
gregate of s1,S34.33, a list of which is at
tached hereto, marked Statement No.
H. and which is made a part of this
report. The city auditor has since gone
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-07-02


on the passed fer payment by the
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-07-02
STATEMENT OF TREAsuRER's CASH.
MAY 6, 1o05-GeneraI Cash.


to
notn the cas- he 1t
East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1905-01-04
zIoNITEs GROW WHISPERS.

Dowies edict that the men of Zion
shall grow whiskers has resulted in
the male portion of the community
appearing with unshaven faces, while
the BARRIERS of the town are mourn
ing the loss of business caused by the
apostles edict.
In the effort to protect themselves
in some measure the BARRIERS have
entered into an agreement to shave
no Zionite unless a haircut also Is
also taken.
The result of this agreement has
been to further depress the barber
business in Zion and encourage a
more cheerful compliance with the
mandate of the apostle, as the Zion
ties concluded it was more economi-
cal to grow a beard than to pay for
haircut extra whenever they sought
to be shaved. Thus it happens that
compliance with the apostles order
appears almost unanimous in Zion
and the crop of whiskers in the COM
munity promises to be luxuriant.
East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1905-01-04

There is an excellent opportunity
for some statesman to engraye his
name high upon Fame's imperishable
scroll by barking to the cry for postal
reform and championing that cause.
1t seems strange that the many alb
surdlties of the postal system of this
country should have gone so long un-
corrected, or that we should have
been so apathetic regarding a matter
of such vital commercial Importance.
Here are few of the many incon-
gruities of our present rates and
regulations. They will never reform
themselves; the public must demand,
and then, possibly, statesmen will
wake up and act. Our postal service
carries a one ounce letter to Shang-
hal, China, for two cents, and charges
10 cents to carry the same letter to
Jamaica. The postal service of Great
Britain charges 25 cents to carry an
| 11-pound parcel Uncle Sam charges
81 cents for carrying a four-pound
parcel-and limits the parcel post to
four pounds. 1t costs five cents to
send a letter from the United States
to New Zealand, and it costs but two
cents to send a letter from New Zea-
land to the United States.
East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1905-01-04
WAR.


Unangered columns hurled upon a
foe;
Blood-guiltless souls made CORY at
a word
Cheeks drenched with tears and wild
owed women's woe
In the long wall of cloistered sor-
row heard.
Man at cry made furious and grim
With scent of blood and smoke OF
bursting shell;
Dead faces on a field upturned to
Him,
And spirits flown-to Heaven or to
He'll?
Smoke, like the fumes from Helrs
own caldron curled.
Men schooled to murder at a bugles
blare;
Emblems of empire from a staff un-
furled,
Blades drawn from scabbards, hidden
slay nor spare.
Man and his brother Man, the tie
forgot,
Each with his eye light with the
lust of Cain;
Blood, as the breech of belching can
non hot
Leaping to splash the battled hill
or plain.
j. w. Foley. in San Francisco Star
East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1905-01-04

cuse, except that the workingman is
deaf to the calls of nature, truth, God
and his inner self, which forces are
all impelling him to worship some
thing.
There is no excuse for the heed
lessness of the workingman, except
that he will not yield to the pleas of
the better environment, around him,
but clings to that which he knows is
destroying his life.
There is no absence of open doors
for him. He cannot plead that
churches are closed against him. He
cannot plead that the truth and the
beauty of Christianity are withheld
from him, and are enjoyed alone by
the wellto-do. He cannot plead that
he has not been invited, begged,
PLEADED with, to come into the light.
He cannot plead hypocrisy in the
churches, as a repellant force, be-
cause he is only responsible for his
own acts, and need not follow the
steps nor initiate the example of any
other man. He can be pure and hon
est although all the world beside him
were dishonest and irreligious. Be
cause one or two or a dozen church
members in his circle of acquaintance
are not honest in their beliefs or prac-
tees, need not deter him, for he will
be rewarded on personal merit and
not on a general classification.
He cannot plead that the best in
fluences of the world were against
him, for nine-tenths of the worlds
greatest and best men have lived
lives of meekness and Christian
charity as thrilling examples for him
to follow, yet he accepts the ideal of
the one-tenth that has rejected all
the good in the world and embraced
the vicious.
He says there is nothing to lose by
rejecting the examples of the better
class of men; let US see. If the
scheme of salvation and redemption
is all wrong and men live Christian
lives in vain, have they not done the
best they knew in accepting the ex-
ample of the best men on earth
They lose nothing by that life.
But if the scheme of salvation is
right and true, and men cast away
the best examples of the world, and
accept the worst, what then?
East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1905-01-04
JApAN's LAURELs 1MPERILED.

France, the covert ally of Russia,
now threatens to raise an interna-
tional question in the Orient which
will rob Japan of her just reward
for whipping Russia.
France says, since the capture of
Port Arthur, that the occupancy of
that position by Japan is a menace
to Europe in the Orient, and demands
that the powers now step in and deny
her the logical and we'll earned tro-
phies Of her most wonderful cam
paign against the Russian stronghold.
This is a cowardly and vicious stab
from France.
The world has been certain for
months that Port Arthur must fall
into the hands of the Japanese, and
yet France has not raised her voice
against the useless and terrible
slaughter, until it is seen beyond a
doubt that Japan will take the posi-
ton, then she cries danger"
1t is thrust from neutral power
which is inspired by a secret alliance
with the whipped combatant. and
should have no weight with the other
European powers.
The present war was brought on by
the interference of Russia, in the set
tlement of the war between Japan
and China, in which Russia prevented
Japan from taking the territory she
had won from China.
France threatens to play the Rus
sian role and interfere in the settle
ment of this war, thus robbing Japan
a second time of well earned victory.
The United States, England. Ger
many and other powers Interested in
the Orient should see that France
keeps her meddlesome hands off this
matter.
Russia is whipped and she should
take the consequences. No cowardly
cry of France should cause any inter-
ference in the settlement.
1t is no more perilous for Japan to
capture Port Arthur, than it was for
her to capture Lao Yang, Dalny OF
other Russian strongholds, yet, the
international danger was not hintet
as long as there was a possibility Of
Russia winning the fight.
Hands off. The victory is Japan's $
Let civilization adjust itself
East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1905-01-04
CHURCH ATTENDANCE.

A writer from Sacramento, Cal, in
January Everybody's discusses, in a
short letter, the reasons why work.
ing1nen do not attend church. He
says that it is not a lack of oratory
that keeps them away; If every pull
pit were filled with Surgeons,
Beechers, Moodys and Talmages, they
would still remain away.
He says the reason is that work.
ingmen as a rule do not believe in
Christianity, that they are either
needless, skeptical or atheistic, and
that they need a reviving force which
will approach them on their own
plane and talk to them from COM
mon ground; that the pulpit, while
doing a worthy, earnest work, over
reaches the masses and leaves them
in darkness and doubt.
This is a weak excuse, in light o.
the fact that every city, hamlet, cross
roads and country settlement in thii
age is supplied with churches, t
which every workingman in the lant
has free access and is more than wei
come.
There is no excuse to offer 70
their unbelief and irreligion. excep
that they will not listen to the earn
est men who are laboring for tn
benefit of mankind. There is no ex
East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1905-01-04

Mormons are in the saddle in
Idaho-in postoffices, county offices,
legislature and state offices and now
Mormon is to be speaker of the
house. A writer of more than ordi
nary ability and with keen prophetic
vision, has said that Mormonism will
yet dominate the United States. Its
tentacles are reaching into many of
the states, while it is yet confined to
one central head. It's branches are
innumerable and three more central
heads beside Salt Lake City are now
contemplated, namely, at Kansas
City, Chicago and New York. It's in
dustrial policy holds members; there
is never a backslider among them,
and what members it gains are clear
additions to the total, for there is
no wasting away of its forces. Its
missionaries are now found in every
country under the sun, and its home
missions extend to every city in the
United States. 1t lays strong foun-
dations wherever it gains a foothold,
by placing its members in public Of
fices, and thus securing all the emol-
uments and all the authority possible.
These facts are significant. No
other church goes to this limit in its
missionary work.
East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1905-01-04
oSTEoPATHIC PEBBLES.

Get right with Nature. Osteopathy.
aims to help nature.
osteopathy is the reaction against
drugs.
prove all things, hold fast that
which is good
All that is asked try Osteopathy,
investigation.
Health means perfect physical ad-
justment of the body. Adjustment is
the keynote.
Often small anatomical defect
remedied will cure most stubborn
disease.
Pain is Natures warming that a
pinched nerve or blood vessel is strug-
Cling for freedom.
Whatever interferes with blood or
nerve supply is a prime cause of dis
ease.
Osteopathy is an appeal to rational
living and the common sense treat
ment of disease.
"Osteopathy, rubbing" When a
vertebra of your spine is being forced
into line or twisted rib righted, you
will hardly call 1t rubbing.
The "How" and why" of the treat
ment In any form Of disease, acute
or chronic, is explainable to your un-
derstanding by Osteopathy, II the Os-
teopath is educated.
"Will osteopathy help your" None
but the osteopath can tell. If he be
competent, careful examination will
answer your question.
Don't delay the examination you
may have contemplated until your
disease is seated and the powers of re-
cuperation gone. Nothing will help
you then.
Doctors Hoisington, Despair block,
are graduates under the founder, DR..
Still.
East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1905-01-04

Suppose I were to tell you you
must not go to the matinee today"
said Mr.. Naggit. How would you
like that?" "Oh," ambiguously re-
piled his young wife, with a steely
glitter in her eye. 81 wouldn't mind"
East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1905-01-04

wealth has its penalties" said the
philosopher.
Yes" answered Mr.. Cumrox. ITS
pretty hard for a man to have to go
guessing through a French menu
when he would rather have pork and
beans"
East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1905-01-04

Nordy-Washingto could not tell
lie.
Butts (mournfully)-I wish my
wife was that way. She can tell one
of mine a mile off.
East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1905-01-04

Judge-The next person who inter-
rupts the proceedings of this court
will be expelled from the room!
Prisoner-Hoo-ray! Whoopee-ee!
Now, lemme gol
East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1905-01-04

. Let tomorrow take care of to-
. morrow.
. Short and dark as our life
may appear,
. We may make it still darker
. by sorrow,
. Still shorter by folly and fear,
. Half our troubles are half our
. inventions,
. And how often from blessings
. conferred
. Have we shrunk in the wild ap-
. prehension
. OF evils that never occurred!
. Selected.
q q q a a q q q q 4 O Q Q o o o Q {
East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1905-01-04
"CHAUFFEUR."

A correspondent wants to know
how to pronounce the word "chauf-
feur." Some people call it "shofer,"
some call it 'shawfewer," John d.
Rockefeller pronounces It "chofer." ."
and we recently heard one lady talk
ing volubly about her "chaffer." One
unlettered, but ingenious fellow. has
been known to refer to an auto driver
as "chiffoner," says the Binghamp-
ton Herald.
East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1905-01-04

FOR SALE AT THE EAST OREGONIAN
offlce-large bundles Of newspapers, con.
aiming over 100 big papers, can be obtain
cd for IS cents bundle
East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1905-01-04

Among all this admixture of pro-
nunciations our correspondent should
be able to get one to his liking. The
second pronunciation with the accent
on the fewer" is about as near right
as any of them. although some cul-
tured people prefer "shofer." If you
own an automobile and can hire a
chauffeur you can pronounce it any
old way, and those of your friends
who are without machine will in no
single instance refuse to ride with you
on that account. Some of them will
even give you hint that they think a
ride in a motor car CHATS English for
automobile) would be just too delight
full for anything.