davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-04-08
STORY OF CLOCKS WITH
SOME LOCAL INFORMATION

At the present day Washington sets the
time for the country. The Western Union
Telegraph company has master clocks,
in all Cities which are connected with
the United States naval observatory.
These is turn supply the correct time to
numerous clocks throughout the respect
i've American cities.
There are about 100 of these timepieces
in Birmingham, and a man is employed
whose sole business is to look after them.
Every day, except Sunday, when it is
three minutes to 12 at the national capital
the ball drops and automatic machinery
begins to flash the message to every
corner of the United States II the mas
ter clocks vary, they are automatically
regulated at high noon-the hands jump
back or forward to the exact place they
should occupy. This system is what is
known as "synchronizing.'
The average man on the streets, how
ever. depends upon the town clocks and
street clocks for the time of day.
The clock on our Federal building has
been roundly abused on account of it's
variability, but A. S. Smith. who has
charge of the government clocks in this
city, states that the clock is equipped
with an exceptionally fine set of Howard
works. The fault is due to a large mole
in the dial. which allows the sensitive
mechanism to become influenced by at
mospherio conditions. The government
has promised to repair the damage, but
is slow to take action. The county court
house clock is a fairly accurate timepiece,
and varies but two or three minutes in a
month.
Watch repairers in Birmingham receive
their time from the Western Union COM
pany. Paul Calame, the official time man
for several of the railroads, states that
his regulator is so delicately adjusted
that he only needs TO take the Washing
ton time about once in a week. His regu-
lator varies only a second or two month
Many hotel clocks are purposely kept
running a few minutes fast, so that guests
may have no excuse for saying they
missed their trains on account of the
timepiece on the wall
Thus does modern man keep tab on
time.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-04-08

~ HEsE are busy days for the people
employed by Cole Brothers show,
1 which has been spending the win
ter at Smiths park There Is marked
Increase in the hustle and activity about
the winter quarters as the time draws
near for opening the spring season at
the park. April i and 49, Men are hurry
ing here and there, looking after the
stock. painting tent pegs. seats and tent
poles. and getting everything in readiness
for the first performance of 19Oe All the
dens for wild animals. the band Wagons.
ticket wagon calliope and baggage
wagons have been freshly painted They
are now resplendant in gold and red and
other glowing shades Men have been en-
gagged fer several days in water-proofinR
the canvas for the big top and the
smaller tents All new canvas has been
provided and the tents are now about
ready to be put up. Performers are ar
rlving every day and 1t is expected that
all will be here by tomorrow. A large
shipment Of animals from a winter zoo
in the north will also arrive this week.
Although the show property seems spiek
and span to the casual eye, much work
remains yet to be done before the small
boy Of Birmingham VIII gaze upon the
wonders of the completed circus.
The most interesting phase Of the pre-
partitions for opening the season Is to
be found in the various training quarters
where the bareback riders, the tight
wire artists, the acrobats, aeralists and
other performers are getting themselves
in condition to do some marvellous feats.
The riding tent attracts most attention.
Here the nondescript youngster, the col
ored brother anu the yellow dog congre-
gate TO look on with wondering eyes
while horses and riders are put through
their PAGES 1t is motley crowd that as
senlbles about the tent. No effort is made
by the show people to keep out visitors.
Instead they are made welcome and
many persons have had the opportunity
of seeing stars Of the sawdust ring doing
the most prosaic part of their work
There is no tinse and no spangles in
the riding tent. The men wear clothes
that won't be damaged by a tumble to
the ground while the women ride in short
skirts, a shirtwaist and boomers. Cloth
shoes are worn and, with their energies
bent on practice the performers pay
scant regard to their appearance Sew
eral male and female bareback riders
well known in the circus world were
training yesterday afternoon.
The manner in which the riders are pro-
teeted from accidents is interesting They
are kept from falling when pirouetting
on the back of a horse by means of what
a Is known as a mechanic" which is n
frame work something like a derrick at
tached to the center pole of the tent and
revolving around it. A projecting top
piece extends from this frame across
the ring and a rope is suspended from
It with buckle and belt which goes
around the waist of the rider. As the
latter circles tho ring. the derrick-lilxe
continuance turns also. If tho performer
should happen to lose his footing on the
horse a man at the other end of the rope
quickly pulls 1t taught and the rider es-
capes with no broken bones. The bare
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-04-08
WHY HE DIDN'T eRoWL.
Story Told of Party Trying to Eat
Tough Beefsteak.

From the Washington Post.
-Four men sitting around restaurant
table eating a very tough beefsteak, and
all growing fiereely, except one
why don't you holler?" said one of the
GROWERS to the silent one. do you like
tough beefsteak?"
NO better than anybody else" said the
fourth man, but | had an experience
once over tough beefsteak that has made
me shy about growing at it ever since.
AT restaurant where a party of us
We're taking our meals at that time, in a
town in California, we had. every day.
beefsteak that you would call this tender
alongside Of. Honest, | think 1t must
have been tanned or prepared in some
way because il was like a thick hide for
toughness.
And we used to growl over that beef
steak, just as you fellows have been
doing here, aud finally we got real
grumpy over it, so that we were always
sour at the table. Then l thought I'd
liven UP things little, and maybe even
get the boys to smile once more-they
were naturally cheerful lot-by making
little joke over the meals.
so one day 1 brought a Ratchet with
me under my coat, and when our regular
slabs of beefsteak came on l got the
Ratchet out and laid it on the table. And
that actually did make the boys smile a
little.
But it didn't affect the proprietor that
way. He spied the Ratchet as soon as 1
laid it on the table and came right over.
What you carrying that hatchet
round for?" he says. Are you lather?'
No" l says. 4 brought that In to
cut up the beefstealx with
'He was a big man. had been a miner
and he was strong and able and a fighter.
and l knew this; but I'd brought that
Ratchet in just for a little joke. I had
not meant anything terrible by it, ana |
didn't feel that had done him any
great wrong, and so l spoke up good and
bold.
What's the matter with the steak?'
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-04-08
An Appreciated Performance.

From Success Magazine
The late Joseph Jefferson used to say
that his career came very near being
town. lie at that time was a member of
a small pioneer company which pro-
crossed by means of three Dull teams
from one mining camp to another. They
were always heartily received by the
tminers AMI cowbows who readily paid
the ave dollars in gold required TO witness
their performance. Mr. Jefferson was the
traditional melodramatlc william, and the
third act was supposed to kidnap "the
child The supposed mother, hearing its
cries, rushes upon the scene just as he
is about to escape and fires a fruitless
shot from a revolver.
Upon this particular occasion all had
gone well until this scene was reached,
and the audience, many of whom had
never before seen any kind of theatrical
performance sat as If spellbound. At the
crack of the mothers revolver, however,
the spell was rudely broken.
by heaven, she missed him. a red
shirted miner i'm the front row shouted,
drawing his own "sx-shooter' and leap
ing TO his feet Round to the back door
and head him off fore he can get boss,
boys!' he yelled, and, following him, half
the audience stampeded for the exit
The excitement was finally allayed by
the mother and the Villains appearing
hand In hand before the curtain, and the
managers explanation of the situation
When the performance had been conclud-
ed the audience insisted on paying an
other admission price and having an inn
mediate repetition from beginning to end.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-04-08
ROMANCE OF RICH MINE.
Nearly Abandoned as Poor, Three Men
See 1t Produce $4o,o0O,oo0

London Correspondence Chicago Tribune.
When the enormous dividend of 145 per
cent. was declared by the Mysore Gold
Mining Company at the annual meeting
held in London the other day, the profit
for the year was stated to be $2,252, $50.
The mills had crushed 1860 tons of
quartz. yielding 1S4957 ounces of bar gold.
AS far as age and consistency in div-
dends are concerned the Mysore gold
mine probably is the richest In the world,
and yet there hangs in the London office
of the company a framed certificate of
the transfer of $1,000 S. shares at a price
of IS cents EACH Such shares would be
worth $40 each today. For the last TO
years the dividends paid have ranged
between 100 and $50 per cent. per annum.
Since 1886 the lowest dividend for one
year has been 10 per cent. The original
capital was $675,000, and in the 20 years
existence of the mine the shareholders
have received dividends amounting to no
less than s22,0S2 no while the precious
metal yielded in the same period has
amounted in value to sil,540,070 The
story of the rise and progress of the mine
is almost like fairy tale.
There was time "a years ago when i'll
success had reduced the company's CAPT
tai to $4,000 to $4,000, and its winding up
was only narrowly averted. A directors
meeting was hel dto consider its position,
and it was proposed to wind up the con-
Germ forthwith. Sir Charles Tenant was
chairman, and he offered vigorous oppo-
sition.
Il did not come up from Glasgow to
wind the company up he said Il think
we should go a little deeper"
Two of the directors supported Sir
Charles, but the others walked out of
the room. These three getting their
own way, spent the company's last thou
sands In going little deeper, with the
result that over $40.00OOO0 worth of pre-
cious metal has been got out of the gold
field whose existence would otherwise
never have been dreamed Of
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-04-08

1t Is a far cry from the old hour-glass
and sun-dial to the self-winding clock of
the present day, but if we care TO follow
the stages, we will be interested by the
wonderful development of a science that
has come to hold an important place in
the economy of an enlightened CONNER
eial age.
Various means of recording time were
in vogue among the ancients, and the
Arabians, who made such marvellous
progress in. astronomy under the clear
desert skies, are supposed to have brought
the art of timekeeping to a considerable
degree of perfection.
The good King Alfred is credited with
having invented a kind of time candle,
which recorded the time by means of
notches. Considering the dark condition
of England at that time his invention
was light given in more sense than one.
But the progress was slow, and it was
not until the twelfth century that we
find mention of a means of recording time
that approached to anything like one of
our clocks Later Henry VIII. is said
to have gambled away the bells of one
of the earliest English turret clocks.
From that time ON it may be said the
business of clock making has been on a
sound footing. The Swiss artisans espe
cally have Worldwide celebrity for the
accuracy of their timepieces.
There are a number of famous clocks
in the world, notable among them being
the giant Westminster clock in London
, and the historic clock in the cathedral of
Strassburg.
The resistless fight of time has always
held kind of fascination for man. and,
recognizing his poweress condition be-
fore its onward march, he early evolved
the pretty fable of Father Time and his
scythe. A later age produced numberless
cynical eoheeits about the number of
birthdays of manageable widows and
bachelor maids,
One of the best drawing cards at the
St Louis exposition was the floral clock.
The Crown Prince of China is said to
have carried away two strong impressions
of America-Roosevelt the king man."
and the floral clock.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-04-08

portant and confidential character found
their way into the hands of outsiders
sometimes with very unpleasant conse-
quences
"A visit Go the waste paper department
would forcibly illustrate 10 you the enor-
nous amount Of correspondence and cler-
ioal work with which the various gov
ernment offices have TO deal
ITO the Departmental, Is really a.
large warehouse-some 1900 tons OF waste
paper every year, the average days re-
cepts varying from ten to twenty tons.
How vast is this amount will be better
realized from the fact that if a single
weeks waste paper.>from the govern
nent offices was thrown into Washing
ton square IL would come very near bury
ing the Washington monument. Vast as
the present quantity is, 1t is steadily in
creasing al the rate Of about twenty tons
every year.
'''rhe paper received is Of the most mis-
ccllaneous character. consisting OF old
letters. state documents, printed matter,
old account books and tho like. on re-
ceipt 1t is at once handed over to tho
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-04-08

sorters who classify 1t under twelve
heads and pack it separately in large
sacks. The sacks are then shipped to a
pulp mill Confidential documents receive
careful and effectnal treatment They
are thoroughly sliced up with cutting
machine. When papers of an especially
secret character are dealt with the middle
section of each pile Is taken out and
placed in separate receptacle from the
rest The cut fragments are then placed
In separate receptacle from the rest
The cut fragments are then placed In a
sealed sack and are conveyed in charge
Of an officer to the pulp mill and there
reduced to pulp under his eye.
Another section of the waste paper de-
paftment contains the used ribbon from
the Morse telegraph instruments. This
peurs I'M at the rate OF about 1850 hundred
weight per week, measuring approximate
ly 300 miles.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-04-08
Why Should Not the Spirit OF Mo tail BE Proud
BY A. LATADY.

why SSs,d n ae5 sg p Of r s be S an, his o
fopies
Has s, ssa,s for d hui,s a. a.,
From the dust s%' % S11'G knot 215 blind
!" SUSPENSION ss ss1. 5sP sas is ss$ held
BY es Sia 's stars TIs9 sphs aa binding the
Diys ssS 70 a G Sao esa s a n word
Sal saDion ins GS s Id 3 We shall
what sa df ss.ss s ss" on s sis s.
" The s mgsslloas Workings God in ' his kind
20. g sfo8 OK ' sa S ss not s s soc. GOD
That 70 s ns amy as' p ssf1 pS 's - Of aa a
wSs D ride wssn r9; mission g% en5 LA
5SH Is az 'noi me tansere cen in it's STROUD p'0''
True pIoPbs poets and priests olmss;.
God S Psv s% through veal
Ever Ts ses s 9 s Sa s ended G s nq
M snae %0 sp Of s a and his mSR u oa come
Foolish Us a Rs sa Sns d sa 1G and faa R
birth
H'qsa thy s Sss 5s so ss ee grief
the life the snt 'fi p P n" an recall
Art or ss s s ss sa .s s ss"s
bs1s tsa hyss 9 and t thy @ Maker ' ars
Perhaps s 'G h too ny ns% pss rsa sn ats own
the s Of dos s1 p ps9s "
OH w sst o Ss1 s ,o pride ss from e ssar apart
the the god in thee
Being nsd humble e9d thy fellow no . earth
%ns ssssss syis sseq 9 Gsnhsrns pride
Which despisng thy thy God is denied
Why Ssss sfnea s p s 9ns .s s s isns not man
An" w 'fs not ss as si as the @ be aas cloud
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-04-08
UNCLE SANS WASTE PAPER.
Brings Him in a Trlfle of About $780,.
900 Year.
From lhe New YorI. Tlmea.

From the New YORK Times.
Economy is said 10 consist in the care
OF tribes. and OF this the waste paper de-
partment of the United States govern
ments stationery office AFFORDS an ex-
cellent example
An official Oh this department while In
New York recently gave an interesting
account Of the system.
no less than $4,000 Is saved annually
by the government waste paper basket, =
he said 1T WAS not SO very long ago
that the waste paper of the government
Offices was an unrecognized perquisite
OF the heads of departments and many
Of The minor officials with the result that
nc small uliantity Of good sta tionery was
1hrown away, and in some cases large
amounts OF government property were
Systematically misapprorriated. Not only
was this-the case. but papers of an i'm
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-04-08
one View of 1t.

From the Philadelphia Public ledger.
'"rhat fellow has a good ear for music.
wish had it," said the old curmudegon.
Nonsense. He's stone deaf
well, then he's got the best kind Of
an ear for most music.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-04-08
A Card.

Mr.. and Mrs. d. NJ. Jones wish to thank
one and all of their many friends who
were so kind and thoughtful during their
recent bereavement.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-04-08

Will buy for cash mer-
chandise stocks of all kinds
correspondents stric thy
confidential. I. III. Rubel,
box 796, Birmingham, Ala.
Los Angeles herald., 1906-09-11
OWL CAR PATRONS
REACH HOME EARLY

As result Of The HernId's persist
ent agitation for the Inauguration Of nm
owl car service In Los Angeles. the
first cars Of the new schedule left the
appointed places between the hours of
one and two o'clock this morning and
many who otherwise would have been
Obliged 20 remain In the city reached
home NJ n comparatively early hour.
A number Of women were among tho
occupants of the cars. and In their con-
vcrSation expressed eloquent npprecia-
tiOn Of the new order of things, being
free In their words Of praise for The
HeraId's success in gaining such mn nc
commodntion for Los Angeles niaht
workers.
Many have said that the owl ears
would he used only by drunks and
carOusers, but the crowds that patron
lied the service this morning demon-
strnte that business men md clerks
are in the majority of those benefited.
within n week II II expected the late
service will be largely pntronIzed.
Los Angeles herald., 1906-09-11
H. CLAY PIERCE
UNDER ARREST
OIL MAGNATE COMPELLED TO
APPEAR IN COURT
After Taking the Stand Witness Re-
Iuetantly Describes Relations Be-
tween the Standard and Wat
ers-Plerce Companies
By Associated Press.

BY Associated Press.
ST. LOUIS, Sept 10.-H. Clay Pierce,
chair icn of the executive board Of the
waters-Pierce Oil company, was ar
rested today on an attachment issued
and served several weeks ago to COM
pei his attendance as witness in a
civil suit
iIr. ri ,ce's attorney had guaran-
teed his presence today at the hearing
Of the oil company custer suit at the
Southern hotel.
Mr.. Pierce described the forming of
the waters-i ierce Oil company and
stated that up to the time Of the first
liquidation in 1900 the business Of the
company had flourshed.
About that time" said Mr.. Pierce,
ian inexperienced agent of the COM
pany in Texas entered into an agree
ment with the Standard Oil company
which resulted in our being ousted from
that state.
II took the affair up with the Texas
authorities and was frankly informed
that no Missouri company controlled
by tie STANDARD Oil company or doing
business according to its methods
would be tolerated in that state.
after the reorganization in 1900,
until the spring of 1904, the Standard
Oil company made no attempt to inter-
fere with my control or management
of the Waters-Pierce Oil company. At
that time the Standard Oil company
transferred the 2745 shares of stock
held in my name to NJ. M. Van Buren,
and began in many ways to dictate
the policy Of the Waters-Pierce COM
pany. / protested vigorously against
this interference"
Los Angeles herald., 1906-09-11
STREETS RUNNING
RED WITH BLOOD
OUTBREAK AT SlEDLCE is IN
DESCRlBABLE
Hundreds Meet Death and Thousands
Are Horribly 5utchered-Bomb
Throwing Results In Fatali-
ties at Warsaw
Rv Associated Press.

IoN ASHOCldltu ETeSSs
BERLIN, Sept. 10-The correspon-
dent at Warsaw of ihe Vossiche zei-
tung says in a dispatch that the out
break at Siedlce apparently was pre-
pared beforehand. Bands of strangers,
ostensibly soldiers on furlough, took q
most active part with the soldiery. At
one stage Of the fighting the Jews sue
ceeded in driving the soldiers back.
The victims are counted by the hun
dreds Man, houses in Seidlce are
burning and nobody is trying to put
out the fires.
A great many arrests were made to-
day, but there are few Jews among the
prisoners.
According to the Warsaw correspon-
dent of the Lokal Anzeiger the author
tiles had four pieces of artillery in
operation on the streets from until 10
O'Clock this morning. Twelve rounds
were fired and four houses from which
shots had been fired at the soldiers yes
terday were completely destroyed. In
addition to the $50 Jewish shows a
number of Tolish stores were plum
dered.
The correspondent estimates the
number Of Jews killed as 100 and says
many more were wounded. Only a few
Christians have been permitted to leave
the town. This attack on the Jewish
population, the correspondent con-
cludes, is an act of revenge
Los Angeles herald., 1906-09-11
MOB ATTACKS NoN-UNIoN CREW
Two Cars Partially Demolished and
n Guards Forced to Retreat
BY Associated Press.

by ASSOcldted FreSS
SAN FRANCISCO, Sept 1O-The
question of the enforcement of the
open shop rule was presented to the
Garments union by the United Rail
roads this afternoon in manner that
provoked a street disturbance.
An electric car was run out of the
Fillmore street car barn with a nom
union crew and four armed guards.
When the car reached the street a cry
of "scab" was raised, and a crowd
swarmed aboard, broke off the trolley
arm and demolished the windows
The crew and guards left the car
when the crowd took possession. A
second car in charge of a non-union
crew was then taken out of the barn
with the object of bringing back the
disabled car.
After it had taken the wrecked car in
tow it was also attacked and both fin
ally run into brick pile in damaged
condition.
Later the company succeeded in re-
moving both cars to the Oak street
barn.