davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1906-06-30

Miss Rosa Lisch has been awarded
SI4,SOo damages for breach of promise
OF marriage against Benjamin II.
Strauss. commercial traveller. by a
jury in the city court of New York.
Miss Lisch sued for $4,000. The young
woman came to this country from Ger
many fourteen years ago to find her
brother. after she had spent seven years
IN accommodating the money to make the
search She left New York for Chicago
as the first point in her search. and
While on the train was approached by
strauss. From this journey in January
1902. there developed a friendship that
r1pened into love. A proposal of mar
rage and an engagement followed. In
1905 Strauss informed the young woman
that he could not marry her.
There are some pretty big restaurants
IN New York, and some of them feed as
many people in n day as would make
up the whole population of a small town.
but II Is doubtful if any restaurant serves
more meals the wear rouhd than that on
Ems island, which caters to everybody
from the commissioner down to the poor
est Immigrant who. for lack of cash. is
awaiting deportation. On the average
5000 meals day are served ON tables.
to say nothing Of the hundreds of meals
packed ~ boxes to be carried away by
immiglan ants going to the interior. And
there arc NJ daadheadS. Every meal
served except TO the restaurant help is
paid for. The commissioner and his
with silver china. glass and linen that
no hotel would be ashamed of.
At last some steps are being taken 10
cool the heated air of the Subway in
New York. This problem has caused
Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1906-06-30

One of the unfinished palaces on Fifth
avenue, New York city. is adorned with
an unusual bit of carving The railing
of an upper balcony is formed of a de-
sign made up of the initial letter of the
family name. This is surmounted with
a coronet of nine points. Such heraldic
decoration on European houses is COM
mon enough, but is not known in this
country. The only appropriateness in
this case is to be found in the fact that
this particular family happens to in
clude a duchess. 1t is more probable.
however. that the owner knows nothing
about the design. which is an inspiration
of the architects
Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1906-06-30

the past couple of years yon.
super-heated air are being r INNS for tie
venient distances and it ',r'' cos.
VIII prove a satisfactory 49,, '...St jli,
eral ventilation. The jrIr.5aA a- ge1
pure air by pumping or at'...1e'aG n
drive out the used air. il ,...- H>r. q,
easy matter; but the solution W.. &.
lem IS confidently looked .... l.-
Could the Interborough oirsr '.4 re-.
irons not only less unde.fr.i a,
breathe ana less Oppressive tens.
but really stimulating coudia. .co,.
directions, the subway womb a'
become the pride of New Yas "a.e
other transportation convan... taA
Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1906-08-03
Parking for The Town.

The town parks, or the town or
village square are the lungs OF its
citizens
If the town Is growing, It Is none too
soon to start a movement TO provide
for the securing Of ample town park
ing. The land Is increasing; when the
town has doubled and has become a
small city, 1t will not be so easy to
secure sites, readily accessible 10 the
people, without paying an ex0rhltant
price. Secure first the land; It Is not
important that a large amount of
money should be at once expended
upon its Identification, possibly it
needs but little, since nature may have
made 1t more beautiful than can man.
II is not necessary that 1t should be
transformed into carpet bids of
flowers and trinity kept lawns II It
affords sunlight and a green relic Of
grass and trees for the eye, II becomes
a clvllizer and an equalizer, for the
poor as well as the wealthy, a resting
place where a man may forget, for
the time, some Of his struggles and
his anxietles in a contemplation OF
what God has made.
The park should be kept, In fact, as
natural as is consistent with its use Us
such. Il is never too early, however,
to secure it's site, with view to the
building up Of the community, when
land values will necessarily Increase.
Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1906-08-03

solutions of many Of the problems of
modern city life ever attempted In this
country. 1t is in line with the best
enterprises for solving the questions of
housing, sanitation, education and
morals. AS such it should command
the attention and cooperation Of all
constructive social workers.
The Homecrofters Gid offers garden
work and craftsmanship as substi-
tute for the street corner, the cheap
show and the saloon. And it offers In
substantial increase in income to the
workers. The increase takes a practi-
cal form in the shape of health from
work In the air, from fresh vegetables
and fruits, from clean environment
and from absence Of bad habits; from
money saved from useless pastimes;
from absence of doctors bills and from
a direct return in the way of COM
modities for use in the home or for
sale.
The founder and main supporter of
the movement is Mr.. George II. Max
WELL editor of Maxwell's Talisman and
founder of the National Irrigation
Movement. As a student Of social con-
ditiory, Mr.. Maxwell has concluded
that college settlements and similar
movements merely scratch the upper
surface of the problem and fail utterly
to get under it and crowd it out with
a better condition. His creed is,
every child in garden, every mother
in a homecroft, and individual, in
dustrial independence for every worker
in home Of his own on the land"
MEANING OF HOMECROFT.
The word "Homecroft' has been
coined by Mr.. Maxwell to fit the thing
he has in mind. The Scotch word
"croft' means a very small piece OF
land farmed intensiVely by its occu-
pant but not large enough to yield him
living and constitute him farmer
The Homecrofter, therefore, under the
conditions being developed, is a labor.
ing man, clerk, skilled artisan or what
not, who supplements his regular in
come by, and spends his spare time in
work on the land. His children may
likewise be employed out of school
hours and at other times when they
would otherwise be on the street OF
forced into some one of the street
trades to help maintain the home. Fol
the children the advantages are OBJ
vious. Healthy exercise in the oper
air for purpose, fresh vegetables anC
other products, and occupation, ar,
substituted for spasmodic exercise
under bad conditions, stale vegetables
or none at all, and the gang.
! 1t can be demonstrated that thu
ordinary factory worker on from on,
half acre to an acre of land can earl
actually more in the odd time givel
to his garden than he does from hi
regular work, taking it hour for houl
The other advantages are evident.
THE GILDHALL AND SHOPS.
AS a foundation for the Gid til
Wilson estate at 143 Main st. Water
Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1906-08-03

fresh air. It was equally to the advant-
age of their moral life that they should
be brought into contact with nature.
There was an advantage, too, in bring
ing the wOrkingman on to the land,
for instead of his losing money in the
amusements usually sought in the
towns, he saved it in his garden prod
uce-a great consideration where the
poorer class of workman was con-
cerned." And again, "The cultivation
Of the soil Is certainly the best anti
dOte to sedentary occupation of those
working in large towns. A primitive
instinct is INDUCED, the full value of
which seems hardly yet to have been
realized. Many believe, indeed, that
with it's encouragement the abuse Of
the social club and the public-hOuse
win be materially lessened, and one Of
the greatest social evils of the time
disappear. (The experience of BOurn-
vile certainly gives support to this
conclusion, for nearly every house
holder there spends his leisure in gard
ening, and there is not a single licensed
house in the village.)"
SEVEN HUNDRED DOLLARS FOR
A HOUSE.
The houses of Bournville were built
with special reference to cheapness,
artistic development, sanitation and
convenience. At cost Of from 500
Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1906-08-03

Phoenix, Arizona, a farm Of one hun,
dred and sixty acres haa been turned
into a homecroft village The land Is
especially adapted TO raising gege-
tables ana Is under one Of the best
waterrlghts IN the region. Fiyeacre
tracts are here given 10 each worker.
The new government reservoir on
salt River and driven wells on the
property, insure permanent supply
Of water for irrigation and therefore
unfalllng crops.
These undertakings, while practical
and constructive In every sense. are
intended rather as models 10 show
what can be- done In any community
In the country. Japan, with sixty
seven per cent of her total population
working In part OF entirely on the land,
has become a land Of gardens where
hopeless poverty Is almost unknown
and where tuberculosis is a negligible
quantity. America can take care Of
Us hopeless thousands in the same
way. first by putting hope into them
and then by putting them where they
may attain 1t. II Is to the promoters
Of our great Industries that we must
look for help In great part, but public
sentiment and sympathy win move the
promoters and reach the problem.
The Homecrofters Gid promises a
start which ought 10 weld together the
country and the city into one indie
structlble whole and, supplemented by
proper charity administration and sane
yagrancy laws, remove entirely the
possibility even Of a submerged
tenth"
Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1906-08-03

tenths per thousand IN Bournyille.
The garden features In Bournyille are
planned with much care, provision In
most cases being made for some lawn,
flowers, vegetables and fruits.
To return to the Homecrofters Gid,
there Is one distinctive advantage IN
Dir. Maxwelfs plan, In that he aims
to attach to each home emo q. land to
make Il feature and not merely an
incident In the life Of the worker. and
he has added The crafts work for w0-
men and for men In the winter. lie
already has under way plans for an
experimental group of four houses
under one roof, 10 be placed at the
centre Of square so as 30 secure the
greatest economy Of space and place
Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1906-08-03

them to the FACTORY or shop.
8. Reliable occupation ar1 sup.
port for the wage-ear 5r himself, In
ease of temporary loss of his regu-
lar employment. An acre of ground,
intensively cultivated and irrigated,
will support a family.
4. Opportunity to set up, in the
homecroft, little handicrafts for the
products Of which there is a constant
demand; such as special lines of
weaving, knitting, rugmaking, cab
inetmaking, basket weaving, turning
in wood or bone, instrument making,
manufacturers of leather, gloves,
ETC., etc. The distribution of power
from electric wires, or the use Of lit
tie gasoline engines, in village of
homecrofters, may demonstrate that
the concentration Of thousands Of
workers in great factories is not,
after all, In great many lines Of in
Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1906-08-03

Birmingham to a point four miles from
the city and erected twenty-f0ur
houses for the wOrkmen Mr. George
Cadbury, from long observation and
experience, concluded that the only
practical way 70 solve the problem was
TO take the factory worker out on the
land where he might pursue the ma
tural and healthy recreation Of garden
ing. Says Mr.. W. Alexander Harvey
In bis book on Bournvllle, 1T was Inn
possible for working men TO be healthy
and have healthy children, when after
being confined all day In factories they
spent their evenings In an Institute,
club room or public-house. If Il were
necessary for their health, as It un-
doubtedly was, that they should get
Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1906-08-03
HOUSE AND BARN FOR HolGEcRoFT VILLAGE.
WATERFOWL, Mass

have not yet fully realized the
ehange-they still are doubtful and
suspicious. About four years ago, be-
fore the tide of immigration and capt.
tai set in toward the Southwest a
stranger from the North drlfted into
this particular city. He was just
Cooking around" with no special pur-
pose In view. A curbstone real estate
broker had on his list tract of bottom
land, timbered, but worthless on ae-
count of the annual floods. This land
he had hawked about the street for
75c per acre, but found no takers
among the home spectators. The
tract was mo good" 1t was offered
to this stranger for $1.00 per acre.
Would he look at 1t? Yes. He looked
It over, examined every acre Of IT.
came back to town and handed over
$4,000 for the worthless tract. Great
was the joy of the natives who were
lined up at the various bars, to drink
to the health Of the sucker" But
the sucker returned in about a month
with another capitalist from the North
and sold this worthless tract for $780,
600. But this was not all. Within
ninety days the second sucker brought
a third and sold him the timber alone
for $4,000. And then the local
bankers and conservative capitalists
kicked themselves for not thinking OF
1t.
For years people have been leaving
Arkansas and Missourl-going west
looking for opportunities. To-day
strangers are taking their places and
= finding money on every bush. The
newcomers are simply developing the
resources which the natives failed to
recognize.
This principle holds true Of rp-
jority Of individuals in every COM
munity. We are too near to see the
opportunities at our feet. We pass
them over and leave them for some
one to pick up.
The twentieth century for the United
States at least will be a time Of con
centration rather than expansion. A
century of rural development and
BODYBUILDING. AS has been indicated
the people must get back to the land
and industrial institutions to react
their best development must give the
worker chance for a home.
Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1906-08-03
The LEGAL Handicap.

The Prophet is without honor in his
own country. So the village and small
town are without confidence In their
own resources. We get 80 familiar
with the things about us that we re
apt to underrete their value. Il is
often necessary for total stranger to
come along and show us the neglected
opportunities that have been under our
nose unseen for years.
The writer while pursuing some In
dustrial investigations had occasion to
visit a thrifty little city In the South
west. 1t Is an old town that has liter
ally been forced TO the front by the
pressure OF development and northern
energy. The place has FIVE railroads,
a population of 10000 and number Of
modern buildings. Still the natives
Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1906-08-03

dustry, a necessity for the -ttainment
of the best results.
5. A growth Of cooperation, which
will give to the homecroft settle
ment all the advantages of the ci J
in schools, libraries, hospitals, enter
tainment halls, water supply, electric
lights, improved roads, etc.; while
the cultivation of each separate acre
or "croft" will be facilitated by the
cooperative ownership of the numer-
GUS expensive pieces Of farm ma
chinerv now to be found on the best
large farms, but which could not be
afforded by the individual crofter.
6. The fostering of a sturdy, indie
pendent individualism, to hich
nothing contributes so muc as the
ownership Of home and a conscious
ness that one can ''make a living''
Of any boss.
Concurrently with such betterments
Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1906-08-03

in the condition of the wage-earner,
the general carrying out Of the hone-
croft idea would relieve the con-
gestion of population in cities, and
greatly assist in their development
along those lines which are much
better than mere bigness. A hun
dred thousand or q million people
living on small tracts Of land, wi in
an hours ride of city would make
far more business for the city, of
every desirable kind, than the same
number closely packed in tenements.
The ''homecroft" experiment not
to be limited to the settlement fost-
cred by Mr.. Maxwell near Boston.
The idea combines with its sugges-
lions Of social betterments the prob
ability Of very satisfactory returns
to che owners Of vacant lands, near
cities, who may be disposed to ex-
pertinent with it.
Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1906-08-03

such betterments, either already
demonstrated or anticipated, are
these:
l. Healthier hone surroundings,
air, sunlight, trees, fl wers; room
for children to grow up without con-
tact with the communicating in
fuences Of crowded city streets and
tenements.
2. Diversity in employment and
healthful recreation for the wage
Garner himself, and wholesome OPP
portunity for his VIE and dren
to contribute to the family In
come, in the cultivation Of an acre,
more or less, Of ground. This would
enable him, especially, to keep his
girls at home, instead Of sending
Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1906-08-03

There is multitude of thinking people
who see the dangers the future holds for
our country unless we reach a wise solution
of the tremendous social problems that
confront US.
The spirit in which we should approach
the consideration of these problems Is set
forth in this remarkable book in a way that
must be an inspiration to every truly hui
name and patriotic heart.
Let the spirit of common sense and opti-
mism and fundamental economic and phil
osophical truth that pervades this book be
taken as the underlying motive of the
movement, and the Greed and Platform Of
the Homecrofters as the practical plan 10
work to, and the rest of the great social
questions are certain to be rightly solved
by application to them of the sound aad
humane principles that will guidethe action
of our people upon all great national ques-
lions.
One copv of 1.-THE Coming People" post
oga nrepaid will be mailed to any adj
dTess in the United States for twenty-five
cents.
One copy of both THE Coming People,
and .sThe First Book of the Homecrofters"
ana "Maxwell's Talisman" monthly for the
rest Of the year 1905 viii be mailed to any
address in the United States for fifty cents.
Remit in postage stamps to The Home
crofters, 14S Main street, Watertowu, Mass.
Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1906-08-03
The Value Of a Good Garden.

Many people fail to realize the
great value of a thrifty, well-kept
garden. Even an inferior one is much
better than none. Vegetables are in
dlspensable. to a family, so far as
health is concerned, to say nothing Of
the money saved by not having to buy
so much -four and so many groceries.
1t would seem that every man
should manage to obtain a piece of
ground and see that it becomes well
fortified and enriched and then put
under a thorough state of cultivation
before trying to plant the seeds. II
only costs little to buy enough seeds
for quite good-sized garden.
Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1906-08-03
THE Hor1EcROFT VS.. THE TENEMENT.
TsOm St. Paul Press

Erom st. Paul Press
By way of affording a practical OBJ
feet lesson in the "Homecroft" idea,
George n. Maxwell has acquired fifty
acres Of ground at Watertown, Mass.
LESS tn thirty minutes by rail-
road or forty-five minutes by trolley
from the center of Boston-whlch
will be broken up into small "crOfts"
for city workers. There, it is to be
presumed, will be illustrated, by de-
Qrees, all the different phases of bet
ferment which characterize the
homecroft as compared with the
tenement-house idea, in its applica-
tion to the life Of the average Ameri-
can wage-earner; especially he whose
weekly stipend comes from work in
city shop or store or factory. Among
Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1906-08-03
Distribution Of Immigrants the
Solution.

If there were only some practicable
way of distributing immigration more
equally among all the ports Of the
country the congestion and segra-
cation phases Of this problem would be
nearer solution. 1t can be accom-
plished in but a small degree, since It
win only be done If answering an
economic demand, as in the case OF
the Galveston-Bremen service. Wise
and we'll organized effort to induce
immigrants to pass through the large
ports by finding and insuring them
employment in the interior and by in
forming them of opportunities else
where, will do much to improve con-
ditions. The self-interest Of states,
many Of which maintain immigration
agencies, might also be brought more
generally into play to attract the In.
dustriOus and ambitious new corners
to their farms and smaller towns
Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1906-08-03
Lmproving School Grounds.

In Rochester, N. Y, the school
authorities grade and sod the school
yards, while the shrubbery and other
planting is by private effort in con-
junction with the school children.
Ample land is furnished for decorative
playground purposes, and most exemp-
larry resul s(have been obtained. s@
Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1906-08-03
HOME LANDS IN SMALL
PARCELS.

The more far-reaching and substan-
tial feature of the movement is
the acquisition and subdivision OF
land into small tracts for actual croft
purpose as outlined above. This close
ly resembles the schemes developed in
Hitchin, Port Sunlight, Bournyilie and
Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1906-08-03
OVERCOMING PHYSICAL
DEGENERACY.

The Gid is not making the mistake
of trying to make farmers pure and
simple out of city workers. Such a
hard and fast line between city and
country will always lead to failure.
Mr.. Maxwell says: Give the city
worker a home in the suburbs, where
he can have a garden and a poultry
yard, and where his children can have
sunshine and fresh air without stint.
and you have largely done away with
the terrible evils that are cursing the
denizens of the congested quarters of
our great cities-physical degeneracy
tuberculosis, and social, moral, and
political dangers too numerous to be
enumerated" Henry W. Grady de-
scribed the antithesis when he said,
THE citizen standing in the doorway
of his hOme-cOntented on this TIRES
hold-his family gathered about his
hearthstone-whiIe the evening of a
well-spent day closes in scenes and
sounds that are dearest-he shall save
the republic when the drum tap is
futile and the barracks are exhausted"
The Homecroft Gid has other plans
in immediate contemplation. Near
Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1906-08-03

elsewhere in England. 1t will not be
out of place to outline the Bournvlile
plan which is Identical in many re-
spects and has been carried out to an
assured success. This model village
was started in 1879 when Messrs. Cad
bury Bros. removed their works from
Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1906-08-03
THE HOMECROFTERS GID.
To Enable People TO Live In Their
Own Home and on a Piece OF
Their Own Land.
CHANCE FOR FACTORY WORKERS

Every Child In a Garden and Every
Mother In a homecrOft" Is the
Motto Of the OrganizatiOn-A Hun
dred Children at Work In the First
School Garden at WATERFOWL, Mass.
EDWARD L. HARTMAN
Secretary Massachusetts Civic League.
At WATERFOWL, Massachusetts, there
Is being put under way what seems to
be one OF the most sane and practical
Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1906-08-03

to $500 each a much higher grade Of
home than the workers had been ac-
customed to was provided. Rents
range from as. Cd. to lbs. per week.
not including rates; and the death rate
of nineteen per thousand in Birming-
ham has been reduced to six and nine