davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Brownsville daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1897-1910, 1906-11-28
WEDNESDAY. NOVEMBER Is, 1906.
THANKSGIVING DAY.


thanksgiving day, coming witt
the regularity of a movable feast
is peculiar to the United States
Although it must be proclaimed
by the president or governor, and
usually by both, and the time Of
year and the date itself are left tc
their judgment, so strong is the
custom that the calendars for next
year have denoted the day far
ahead of any proclamation. On
the last Thursday in November,
the figures are printed in red. The
banks know it will be that day,
although there is nothing but
precedent to establish it; business
men know it will be a day of
thanksgiving and never stop to
reason why. The schoolboy, the
foot ball enthusiast, the farmer,
the poulterer, all know Thanksgiv-
ing day is the last Thursday in
November.
AS a generally observed national
holiday Thanksgiving day is barely
fifty years old, yet its history is in
a measure of much greater anti
guilty. Like many another custom,
we owe this to those stern Puritans
who separated" and. came to
Massachusetts, bay to make last
ing impression upon the social life
of the new worlu. The history of
the first Thanksgiving day in the
Massachusetts, plantation has been
variously given. In 1921, it is
said, day of thanksgiving was
observed in acknowledgment of the
Pilgrims first harvest in America.
Those were trying days for the
colonists. The winter was one of
great severity and scarcity. The
people, we are quantity told, were
necessitated to live upon clans and
mussels and ground nuts and
acorns, and these got with much
difficulty in the winter time. Peo-
pie were very much tired and
discouraged. especially with the
last batch of bread in the oven.
Winthrop had early in the preced-
ing July sent the ship Lion to
England for a cargo of provisions,
but after an interval OF many
months the ship was not forthcom-
ing. On February 5, 1851, while
the governor was giving the last
handful of meal in the barrel unto
a poor man distressed by wolf at
the door, at that instant they
espied a ship arrived at the harbor's
mouth, laden with provisions for
them all I"
A general fast day had been pre-
viously appointed, but the arrival
of the Lion. bearing this soreIy-
needed relief, changed their mourn
ing into joy. aud, as Winthrop
records in his journal, a day of
thanksgiving was held in all the
plantations. F"
Franklin has left an interesting
account of the origin of Thanks
giving in America. which is not
without his humorous touch, and
which, like most of his similar
writings is perhaps not as veracious
as it might have been, There is
a tradition" he wrote, that in
the plantations of New England
the first settlers met with many
difficulties and hardships, as is
generally the case when civilized
people attempt establishing them
selves IN a wilderness country.
Being piously disposed, they
The Brownsville daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1897-1910, 1906-11-28

A MISSOURI paper says: Frank
James is holding up pretty we'll
for an old man." Not so we'll,
however, as when in bygone days
he was regularly engaged in that
line of work.
The Brownsville daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1897-1910, 1906-11-28

IN ORDER to encourage vaccina-
ton the mayor of Madrid has es-
tablished lottery and presents
ticket to every one who submits to
the operation.
The Brownsville daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1897-1910, 1906-11-28

THE time appears to be coming
when the only rich man worth
noticing will be one who can cross
the continent on his own railroads.
The Brownsville daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1897-1910, 1906-11-28
Terms of Subscription:


DA1Lv:-Published every evening ex-
cent SUNDAY, daily by mail postpaid to
any point in the United States, Mexico
or Canada, or delivered by carrier to any
Dart of Brownsville, Texas, or Matamoros,
Iexico:
One copy one year. POW
One copy six months. ....--- 800
Observation-Disclosures Saturday, by
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Subscriptions invariably due and pay
able in advance.
Advertising rates on application.
Makes all checks payable to
JESSE o. WHEELER,
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-17

declared he would not depart from. lie
said: so completely have the powers
vested in President Washington been ex-
ercised, In settling definitely the plan OF
the city, so far, at least as regards that
portion of 1t now under consideration. that,
In my opinion, there rests nowhere power
to alter 1t.
HE president Washington has deter
mined the plan. He had the exclusive pow
er to do so. He has completely expended
that power, and X IS unalterable, not only
by his successors. but by Congress itself"
The ground was therefore for a number
OF years open common, with few trees
upon It, and 1t is said that later clothes
lines laden with linen sometimes appeared
in the northern part. While there was q
senblance of streets on the sides, they were
scarcely country roads, SO light was the
travel upon them. Before the war of 1917
a few buildings faced the square, but 1t
was not inclosed until in the SOS, when IT
was surrounded by a wooden fence and a
few trees were planted.
That Mr.. Davidson's contention had some
effect on the building up of that section
would seem to be apparent from the fact
that the squares fronting Lafayette Square
until the forties had less than dozen
residences upon them and the President
though living midway of residential streets,
had no near neighbors. The square north
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-17

Gardner's on the south side. were at LEASE
in the summer months in full operation. indi- !
Gated that some parts of Washington were
progressing Indeed. by 1870 there bad
been some spreading out.
From 1920 to 1910. =
Twenty years before the Cults, Tayioe
and Hay families, near the northeast quar-
ter of Lafayette Square. Thomas Dove.
messenger: Robert Harrison, builder; ID.
II. Haskell. teacher: George Graham.
George Hay. counsellor at-law: Charles
Hay of the Navy Department, J. II. Head
ley. bricklayer, and A. Mcdonald, mes
senger. made up the immediate neighbor-
hood. while at 18th and X streets were
John Wells. clerk; Joseph Wering.
messenger and a square further north w.
G. Elliot, a clerk, with S. Brenton's gro-
Gerry on 18th and I streets. In the forties
Col Charles Hill was living at the north
west corner OF Massachusetts, avenue and
l4th street, John James. carpenter. at
10Th and n streets; Mrs Brannan, street
near 18th street; James Callagan of tho
Navy Department. l. street near 18th; Jere-
mfah sullivan, stone cutter. 18th and Il
streets; Mrs DAILY, grocer, 14th and l.
streets; Henry Walker. the printer, who
died few years since, nearly a hVldred
years old. on 10th street. north OF street:
John Boriand, carpenter; r. T. Morsell OF
the land office. Thomas G.. Trlput. butter
merchant; Joseph Edwards, bricklayer, and
James Miller grocer, at or near the corner
of 18th and l. streets. Thomas Riggalls
had converted a barn near where the Scott
statue stands into a dwelling house. Thos.
Trpiet was running a pottery at 18th and
* streets Mrs. Lanham was on X street
near 10Th street Richard Harrison. s.
Coomes. messenger; John Brown cabinet
maker. on l street. near 18th street, and r.
Mahony. tailor, near 14th street Robert
Harrison, carpenter; W. VI. Moreland.
Elijah Ourand. long a treasury employe;
Y. NJ. p. King and J Harrison Knott,
grocers, on Vermont avenue between IL
and I streets. Mrs. Alex. Kerr, G. Has
well, Mrs. Graham, Mr.. Corcoran. NJ. St
Clair Clarke and W. II. Phelp were II
street. Mrs. Dolly Madison. B. Ogle Tay-
lor, Col. ]. Madison Cults faced Lafayette
Square Mrs. Latimer was in the Rodgers
house and DR. Gunnell at the corner of the
avenue,
This will show that something was doing
and the city growing, albeit as compared
with the progress OF the present day with
a snaIl's pace JAMES CROGGON.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-17

at a temperature ranging from 80 to 80
degrees
Keane Company's Cooler.
The main fresh meat plant was that OF
the Keane company This company does
the larger part Of the fresh meat business
of the three concerns It's distributing
rooms in the Center Market are arranged
for the accommodation of thirty-five cattle
at time. and each quarter is labeled,
the floors neatly covered with sawdust, and
the general look and smell of the place is
clean and attractive. In fact. It may be
fairly said OF all three OF these places that
there was nothing IN the way of uncleanli-
ness or disorder that would have been OBJ
jectiOnable In a private kitchen. Indeed, a
great many private kitchens could have
taken lessons from them In cleanliness.
In summing up the situation. IL may be
said that the principal points to be criti-
eised from the standpoint of modern sani-
tation are that there are some wooden
floors still remaining, notably at the abat-
toir. These are being replaced. and in fair
ness II should be said that they are all
kept perfectly clean At the abattoir also
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-17

there were a good many flies. The at
tention of Mr.. Loeff1er, the manager OF the
company was called to this, and he said
that the directors had under consideration
plans for screening the whole OF the es-
Establishment. He did not think, he said,
that there was any danger from them, as
all Of the carcasses were washed down and
went into the, chilling room absolutely
clean and no fly could ever live beyond the
double doors of these rooms But he said
he was perfectly willing to take the adj
vice of the War Department sanitary ex-
perts on this point. and II they thought
there is need for additional precautions
they would be taken.
Many of the carts and boxes for trans
ferring the meat in the abattoir and the
various plants are also of wood. but they
are scrubbed and cleaned, so that they are
always perfectly sweet There Is also a
special force kept in all the establishments
whose sole business 1t Is to scrub and clean
the inside of the wagons every time they
go out.
War With the Trust.
Then comes the question of the customer
getting home-dressed meat when he asks
for it. The representatives of the three
companies all said that this was one of
the hardest problems they had to deal with
in their business. In spite of the fact that
the three companies who own the abattoir
are big concerns and do large trade they
the meat business in Washington. They
kill about an average of 300 cattle, 800
calves 1000 sheep and 1,50o hogs each
week. But, even at that, their combined
business amounts to not more than 10 or, at
the outside, Is per cent of the meat pusl-
ness of Washington. There are about
thirty employees at the abattoir, twenty-five
at Loef1er's, seventy-five at Auth's and
thirty at Keanes. But this Is a very small
proportion when the trade and bulk of the
western packing houses is considered.
The local independents say the statement
that the beef trust does not control the To-
cal market is entirely untrue. They say
that the big western packers fix the price
in Washington absolutely. They have sew
eral times threatened to put the independ-
ent firms out of business, and in the case
of one company few years ago they came
very near doing 1t, simply because their
trail had been crossed In some business
matter They can sell their meat at any
price they choose to the retail dealer, and
can give it away If necessary to fight a
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-17

oak. caulked with tar and washable and
clean also.
Down two stories under ground there are
rows of tables with the meat laid out wait
ing for mixing and stufing. White ice
coated pipes run over head and the electric
lights glimmer through the frosty air.
There is the smell of meat, of herbs and on
ions In the air, an appetizing smell. and a
clean smell, and even the men who are
working In the meat look clean, too. There
is no attempt to put them in uniform, but
they look well washed and have water
proof aprons that show wear enough to
indicate that they are not OF absoiutly
recent adoption.
The whole of the plant above ground Is
roomy, light and airy. Steam rises from
the big kettles in the cooking room. but
there is space enough for it to escape. Out
side is the green country and the whole
suggestion of the place is more Of the farm
than 1t is of the factory. The scraps and
offal from the animals disposed of as
fertilizer and they are disposed of at once.
Mr.. LoefHer. in showing the reporter
through the plant, said that this was the
secret of keeping tie plant smelling sweet.
The bones. and scraps are not allowed to ac-
emulate but as soon as they are collected
from the tables. they are put into big vat
and steam cooked Then the bones are
charred in big cylinder and ground and
the whole is mixed and made into fertili-
zcr and sold by the ton.
View of the Auth Plant
TIE Auth Company has its factory down
in the heart of the town. 1t is at 18th street
and Virginia avenue and has none of the
advantages of a country setting to make it
look attractive. But it is clean and solid
and is run on sanitary lines. 1t is like the
other company, devoted largely to the prep
aratfon of hog products, lard, sausages of
all sorts. hams and bacon. and corned beef.
with a considerable amount of fresh meat
also. Here the cement floor has been adopt
ed in the interests of cleanliness and econ
omy. The plant has its own ice-making
and cooling machinery, and its cellars. like
the other plants, were lined with frost
coated pipes and big stone watts, where
meat is kept in pickle, salt, brown sugar
and two ounces OF saltpetre to 100 pounds
Of meat The managers of the places were
frank about the statement as to the use
of THIS much saltpetre They said that it
was demanded by the public and was the
nearest approach to dyeing or colorlng that
they used That much saltpetre, they said.
would preserve the color of meat when
corned and sailed. and people would rather
buy meat that looked good color than to
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-17
No More Three-Bottle Men.
PROM the saturday Reylew.

HTOm Inc SatHfuHy HeyItW.
The fall In the sum received from the
wine duties agrees. unlike many budget
figures, with facts. perhaps we should say
with observation. No one lunching In a
club now can help noticing how very few
men are taking wine. Compared even with
ten years ago the change is markell No
doubt large proportion, the majority, OF
those who at one time took wine at lunch
con are now taking their whiskey and soda.
But large number take no liquor at lunch
at all. At dinner the change is not great
In the number that take wine, but
In the character OF the wine taken and the
quantity per man.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-17
LOCAL MEAT SUPPLY
Packing House Conditions
Viewed by The Star.
CLEANLY AND SANITARY
Appeal From Butchers to Examine
Their Plants.
LOOKED AND SMELLED GOOD
Fight Of Washington Men Against
the Beef Trust-The Contest
is Increasing.
LOOKED AND sMELLED GOOD

To the Editor Of The Star;
Dear Sir: Owing to the great agitation
and disclosures now beng made Of tire
packing business as conducted by the
trusts.
I'VE the independent home packers of
Washington do hereby invite a most thor
ouch investigation Of our respective plants
by one Of your most fearless reporters IN
order that the public may he Informed Is to
all branches Of our industry.
signed:
IN. AUTH PROVISION COMPANY,
EFT r. KEANE COMPANY,
Michael A. Keane President.
"A u. LOEFFLER.
Washington Abbatoir Company"
In view OF tie horribly insanitary condi-
lions of the Chicago packing houses, as
disclosed in the recent Neill- Reynolds re-
port to the President, 1t is perhaps only
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-17

local competitor. and still make money on
their freight.
The local men say that they put up bet
ter meats. both fresh, cured and sausages,
than the westerners, and the looks of their
products and their plants would seem to
bear this out. But they say that meat is
one of the hardest things to protect after
1t once gets on the retail block. The local
men are discussing the feasibility of at
tachlng a gelatin label to every one of the
five cuts into which q side of meat is d.
vided and of some way of protecting their
sausages by tag or label But they say
that though they have figured over this
for a long time it IS almost impossible to
do, because OF the extra expense involved
for labor and material. Several cases have
been discovered only recently. they say,
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-17

sa~s%xsz<zsszs-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-17


Five and six cents per foot was the
corporation value of ground held today
at the same figures with noughts APP
pended in that square north of New York
avenue and east of 18th street now occu-
pied by banking houses, hotels, boarding
houses. stores, &C And some not very
old men can remember when but two or
three dwellings, a stone yard, two car
penter shops saved 1t from its entire use
as dumping ground. About $500, Robert
Sutton owned a lot on III street; Pierce
Purcell, two lots on New York avenue
near 18th street; John McElweel lots ct
the east end of the square; VIM Doughty
and Robert Alexander, on III street. Jo-
seph Taylor, on 18th street and Thomas
Snowden, four lots on New York avenue
and 18th street. In 1909 Moses Young
bought two lots at the east end of the
square, and in 1914 lots on 18th street
passed to John d. Barclay, and after,
through Samuel Brook, to Richard Cults.
The first Improvement of permanent
character appears to have been made by
George Graham, who in 1920 bought three
| lots at the southeast corner of 18th and
H streets, on which he erected fine
! residence, where he died shortly after
! ward The family lived there for many
| years, and until a few years ago it was
standing 1t was taxed for $4,000 in the
| twenties, and two other buildings on II
| street near 18th street for $500 each, and
| the ground value was to Is cents.
About 1921 James McClery bought two
| lots on New York avenue west of 14th
street and erected a school house as well
| as dwelling upon 1t, having a well-kept
| flower garden in front of his home. A
! school was taught here for some years,
and In 1888 Miss Milligan bought the
| house and continued the school for q
time. The rest of. the square was dump
ing ground, with the exception of the
corner of 18th street, where was Jere-
miah Sullivan's marble yard and near by
| the carpenter shop of Mr.. James PilIing.
| Caleb Cushing as Fireman.
! The latter In the forties erected row
| of three-storied brick residences on 10th
street, and among his tenants was Mr..
Caleb Cushing, Attorney General. This
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-17


ialI [" inc nome meat companies OF w aSIl-
lhktGh L" say tNat mere are HIH's ny
Ml-." ''t 'uTt Nv" "a NV, No - -
killing, and While they do no canning ana
pu' UP mo- L'''''S save l''.tl'' "aeol, anu 80
due regard 10 cieanl.nees ana deceucy in all
it's Departments.
after NE chicago disclosures, ana IN c en-.
49, ,..l..,,.,,,,-,, i,,,,,J+,- 90 To- co1d-
lions I'm fba \yasr,reton mont trade The
three local firms named announced tner
willingness To receive "a reporter and show
him through their plants at once or at any
tllht- me! were Iue n NLln IloN42loli
CpH' PAM. ~. J. Ne"ile oilpaly '1ll'
'H' a. .'eli'i f'a"s'Ee anu iIOl 4siol oy'i-
Ituy- lNe~- tilN- "l rms are lHIT ptIlueil'
or me meat trust ana run tnelr WasIuhs-
ton business for Washington and the vlc.H-
ity only. I'm combination trey own the
suJttolr az Jennings. This lis where they
DO ai or i.fr own killing. in addition
The atat.0'r ls open To- any other cattle
owner who wishes 90 do his killing there.
but as matter OF fact the three firms
mentioned d1 about uIuetv-twO uer cent OF
uII iae sIsuchJerIur The conditions there.
as al IIe individual houses of the three
firms are clean and sanitary Cement
floors arc the rule. There are some wooden
Hporr boat tre managers of the several es-
Establishments state that they are being re-
moved gradually. with "a view TO making all
off fUa HH1rz solid cement The same Is true
OF Oh. fI.AIL.g watts the majority of which
are llIf ~ cement Mr. auth. Ina spea king
OF this feature. said that IL was a mere
matter az business ta replace the wooden
v.rr ccr.nt watts. as thtv were NOT ontv
more sanitary Iui they are more convenient
s.H practically fudestrurtibIe
W oman IN control.
fr tl.a fine of DISCLOSURE aud r.,.~,-r
etr-a.- Do ,r.-..-. .,-.., .....-...,..... - -,
'-''--''7 UT Su'-
s'-5 t' @P'@N "i any Hi'' KING house as be-
l' = ..ea. and well conducted There Is al
ways the question too. with the reading
tI,I.-.s .,.rlt.rr rr., ..fs.s -,.t..f.+ rot r.,
ben cleaned I'M for dress o,ra5e y-bs, in
sF' i,d Perhaps The nearest 10 "a salts
l.' ,'.s 90 li's sussss non rs that me
h.. ,asssI I.v.1 s-5 s.-s,,e5 i E 80 ~
ult unless IL had been run on clean lines
FOG some time % is serious question
.- .,.l s..1 . ESQ. OF Nao e'A3'lohs would
come te sG,l-Ir, ,s ..,l.llffjc,s i tJI.. -
The fact remains THAT the plants are clean
now, art iac general conditions are such
a. ",-,l e'''''o '"e'A 90 ne Kept clean AT
one Of .rs most interesting ne-eora1i,ies
or The whole Of the local meat business is
the president Of the LOeHicr Sausage and
Provision Company. TIE president of the
company is % womau-Mrs I.oefier. widow
OF the old founder Of the companv. The
plant is the curious combination Of a home
industry and q modern business institution
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-17
Fortunes Wheel.

IIUII IuCh-
See that old chap?' remarked the club
man, pointing out the window to an old
peddler, who carried a basket Of shoe laces.
well he came to this country from Rus
STA ten years ago. He borrowed some
money to purchase a basket and began to
peddle shoe faces How much do you think
he's worth today? Just make a guess.
Several large sums were mentioned ex-
pectantly.
wrong said the clubman. "He Isn't
worth a cert and he still owes for the bas-
ket."
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-17

take a brown piece that had no saltpetre in
the pickle.
In the Auth place the lavatory and dress
ing room for the men IN the center
of the building, and was clean and well
kept It ventilated to the roof and there
were double doors between the passage
way all around 1t and the cooling rooms
leading Oft on the sides. 1t may be said
In this connection. however, that the best
arrangement in any OF these plants was
shown at the abattoir. where the lavatory
consisted of a small brick building outside
the Strengthening and cooling departments
and not connected in any way with the
rest of the plant.
An of the rooms where there was chilled
fresh meat kept had the floors heavily saw
busted, and the air was kept dry and cold
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-17

where retailers have substituted western
goods for theirs owing to the fact that
they could make more money off the west
ern meats. But such cases are hard to
convict, though there may be little moral
doubt that they have occurred But the
local men say that. If possible they will
so identify their goods that there will be
no question of customer recognizing
them ON the butcher's stand.