davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Pensacola journal., 1906-04-15
By =
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T. vas a rare privilege, which few
newspaper men, I ween, ever enjoy,
hat fell 10 my lot last week when I
s,s7- a day and night at one OF Flori-
5a,s famous convict camps. In ex-
,ranation I may say that 1 did not go
.Ibere as a convict. but as the guest
- Manager Hal Forbes and Secretary
" Dawlins, Of the Star Turpentine
Company, who are now operating
what was formerly known as the Warn
Bros. & Co.'S naval stores camp II
miles west Of Pensacola.
had heard so much about convict
CAMPS in general, and about this one
camp in particular, that when the in
yitaion 70 visit it came, it was glad
L. accepted
The Star Turpentine Company has
under lease, for turpentine and tim
her privileges, q tract Of about 10000
acres and that tract is being worked
this year for about % crops Of boxes.
4 crop, Il may be explained, is 1O,5OO
boxes, which is about the number that
one man is capable Of ~strealdng" or
hacking during one season. They
are therefore working this year about
24l,5OO boxes, and they estimate that
Shere are four years work before the
value OF the timber for turpentine will
be exhausted.
At present there are about 35 state
The Pensacola journal., 1906-04-15

, fruits, sweetmeats, or any of these
little comforts and delicacies whicn
the convict commissary fare does not
contemplate, 70 cents comes in mighty
handy to him.
The captain of the guard at this
camp is a young man from Georgia,
Mr.. S. w Long, whose interest in the
comfort of the unfortunate beings
committed to his charge ought to be
an example to convict oveTseers every
where. He impressed me as a man
who is anything but what the imagina-
ton paints as the professional con
vict driver" and if any cruel treat
ment is visited upon the convicts at
his hands l am greatly mistaken IN
my estimate Of human nature
1 asked Captain Long about the
whipping feature of his position. The
board of supervisors, under Commits
sioner McLin of Tallahassee, provide
that only one mantle overseer, or
captain of the guard-at each camp
shall have authority to whip a prison
er and this board also selects the whip
and has power to discharge the cap
tain when there is any reason 10 be-
lieve that he is abusing his authority.
Captain Long told me that there had
been only one whipping in the past
so days and that was a mild one. The
strap used is about four feet long and
three inches wide and is capable, wnent
The Pensacola journal., 1906-04-15

Numbers are male and female. The
number one Is male. two Is female
Three is universally allowed 20 be q
sacred and lucky number. In all ate
fairs of importance six is TO be avoidV
cd. The number seven is an excellent
one, possessed Of many virtues. The
seventh son is certain 70 make his way
IN the world. and the seventh son Of a
seventh son Is sure to be ar infalHbls
doctor. Ten IS a sacred number. All
odd numbers are lucky except the num-
Der thirteen All kinds Of remedies
should be taken an ODD number %
times, the best being three, seven 80
nine.
The Pensacola journal., 1906-04-15

where they are at work. 1 desired to
be present when they ate breakfast
and therefore got up at 4 o'clock and
was at the prison house when the
call sounded at 4:30. The men imme.
diately rolled out, washed, and march
ed into the dining room. Their break.
fast consisted of coffee, with milk and
sugar, corn bread, hot biscuit, pork,
grits and syrup. There seemed to be
a plentiful quantity of each and the
men ate heartily. Their dinner pals
were filled with the same kind of
food and each man selected what he
wanted and as much Of it as he want
ed The diet is varied, I was inform
ed, cabbage, greens, peas, potatoes,
and other garden products being serv-
ed during the week, fresh meat being
furnished once each week.
A daily record of the kind and
amount of food food furnished to the
cOnvicts is required, and once each
month a record for the month must
be made up and filed with the state
supervisor Of convicts at Tallahassee.
The men sleep in the prison proper,
mentioned above, and this is equipped
with iron bedsteads, one for each man,
excelsior mattresses, clean wooden
blankets, pillows with clean pillow
cases, and clean cotton sheets. Night
gowns are also furnished every man,
but l was informed that few of the
The Pensacola journal., 1906-04-15

the system for gathering water in the
Sierra Nevada range. The company now
supplies a very large district, many
street railways, newspaper presses and
factories of every description being run
by the electric current produced in the
mountains This immense work is ac-
complished with less than $4,000 ,.orse-
power. The company has been so sue
cessful financially that it is now re-
placing all Of its old wooden fumes
with others more substantial and is
building miles SI new ones. The actual
area of the watersheds drained by the
fumes ef this one company covers 552
square miles.
There is no difficulty in securing
abundant power in this mountain re-
giOn. The force of the water rushing
through the penstocks is such at the
power houses that it "eats" through
The Pensacola journal., 1906-04-15
g By .
A MEMBER OF THE
JOURNAL STAFF

laid on the bare back Of a convict,
Of inaicting pretty severe punishment.
l was informed, however, that the
strap is only used in cases Of extreme
perverseness on the part of a convict
and the punishment is never so hard
as to break the skin.
Personally, the idea Of whipping a
convict is utterly repugnant to me,
but it is part Of the convict lease,
system and as long as that system
prevails there will probably be no
abolition of the practice. Others with
whom talked told me that it hurSs
Captain Long worse to put the straps
On a convict's back than it did thes
man who got the whipping. This be-
ing the case, the cOnviCts in this camp
will regard themselves particularlYi
fortunate in having a man like Capt.
Long to do the corporal punishment
act when the latter is required.
After supper, the men behind the
bars" spent a couple hours in singing,
clog dancing, and other amusements
and then went to bed, asked thems
if they had any complaints to make
and they answered in . chorus, mo.
sah!" do they treat you all righh
here?" 1 questioned rDey sho do,
boss" came the unanimous reply, and
from what 1 saw and heard, have no
doubt that the convicts at the Star
Turpentine Co.'S camp told the truth.
The Pensacola journal., 1906-04-15

large structure 1O0x3O feet, well light
ed aud ventilated. 1t contains two
sanitary flush closets, water for which
is received from an elevated tank on
the outside which is itself supplied
by a gasoline engine pump, and the
water is carried away in an under
ground sewer which empties into a
ravine several hundred yards from
the building.
Opening out from this building is a
wash room, about 1Ox14 feet, supplied
with water from the tank, and there
the men wash every day and are COM
PEELED to battle all over at least once
each week.
On the opposite side Of the building
a door opens into a long dining room
2Ox62 feet, including the portion used
for kitchen. The dining room was
scrupUlously clean and the kitchen, L
will venture, was cleaner than could
be found in any hotel in Pensacola
and as clean as the kitchen of any
private home could well be. The din
ing room and kitchen, Messrs. Forbes
and Dawkins tell me, are swept thor
Oughly every day and are scrubbed
whenever they require it.
The food seemed to be both ample
and substantial The men eat break
fast and supper at the quarters, but
on work days they carry their dinner
with them and eat it in the woods
The Pensacola journal., 1906-04-15

the lessees, or rather the sub-lessee5
convicts employed at this camp, and
who are working them, pay 1925 per
year for each man and clothe, feed and
shelter him in addition. The Iessees
proper, l believe, pay the state $2O7.7O
for each convict, so that, on the men
worked, a profit of the difference, OF
$1173O, is realized by the first les.
sees from the sub-lessees.
While the profit to the state consti,
tutes the chief element of interest to
those who think only of the dollars and
cents feature of our penal system, the
manner in which the convicts are
treated is, after all, the more impor-
tant question and it was that question
which interested me chiefly on this
occasion.
Regardless Of what may have been
the previous reputation of this partic-
ular camp-and I am free to admit
that I myself did not regard it very
highly-the provisions there now for
the care and comfort Of the inmates
were a revelation to me.
The most of the buildings have
been erected during the past six
months and in number and arrange
ment they seem to be complete in
every detail
The prison building proper in which
the men are confined at night is a
The Pensacola journal., 1906-04-15

a cambria needle az %he ComstoCk mines
under a head of 1000 feet went through
a two inch plank like bullet. When
the dynamOs are idle the unused water
is shot out into space above them. A log
1nrown into the escaping stream would
be shattered into bits and a rock as
large as an athlete could lift would be
hurled across the canyon like shell
from a gun.
The sensitiveness Of a great electric
plant is marvellous. When a street car
stops or starts at Oakland, 1872 miles
from the power house, the electric gov
ernors respond instantly to the added
or released burden Of the dynamos.
Everything is so accurately adjusted
that the turbine wheels receive only the
exact amount Of water required by the
present needs of the system. The slight
est diminUtion of the demand for power
The Pensacola journal., 1906-04-15

throws the supcrluous water into the
tail races. When the full power Of the
dynamos is wanted not drop Of water
escapes until it passes through the tur-
bines to fall gently out Of the way,
shorn Of an of its force. In the summer,
when the storage reservoirs get low, the
water which passes through the tur-
bines is taken back by the electric
pumps into the main storage reservoir
whence ii came.
While America has been pre-erninent
in the utilitarlan exploitation of cleo
tricity, other nations have not been
backward Among European competi-
tors in the electric advance Italy stands
foremost. During the past few years
Italian industries have taken a tre-
mendOus forward leap on account of
water power conversion. The govern
ment itself is at the head of the scheme.
having decided that this source Of ma
-
The Pensacola journal., 1906-04-15

is not diverted necessarily from it's or
iginal appearance and the apparent vol
llne of the overpour remains the same.
A certain amount of the water is con-
Quoted into artificial channels, and then
to steel penstocks, or tubes, through
which it drops to the turbines below.
This need not be done in the immediate
vicinity of the fall itself. and in the case
of the recent operations at Niagara the
canal carries the water. needed to the
edge of the gorge, some distance below
The Pensacola journal., 1906-04-15

permit the passage Of the steel pen
stocks that carry the water down TO
the wheels at the station. A head of
about IFS feet is obtained.
Perched on the top of bluff to the
rear Of Victoria park, at least 255 feet
above the power house, IS situated the
distributing station. Here great trans
formers will be installed to raise the
current to a voltage sufficient for its
transmission to another station that is
being built near Lockport, n. Y. The
The Pensacola journal., 1906-04-15

the falls. The buildings necessary
have in most instances been made as
Inconspicuous as possible and have been
located in places remote from the pub
lie OBJ rvation. Some perilous feats
have been performed by workmen in the
effort of placing material in spots
where it will be invisible to the casual
sightseer
In the Pacific states several gigantic
enterprises for the conversion OF water
power have been carried to success
one &C The raost noteworthy Of these is
The Pensacola journal., 1906-04-15

steel and iron plates, planking and even
solid masonry in an incredibly short
time. This r.aakes il necessary for the
company to keep on hand at all times a
large supply OF cast iron plates to re-
new those "eaten'' through. The wa
ter leaves the nozzle at a velocity of
17.sUO feet per minute and travels at
the rate of three miles per minute in
its sheer descent Of 1000 feet. Further
to illustrate the mighty power Of this
water supply may be stated the fact
that a leak no largeS in diameter than
The Pensacola journal., 1906-04-15

D harness the water
falls, transmute their
power to electric ener-
gy and transport this
TO turn the machinery
OF man is now an old
story. But the extent
TO which the work is
l,oJ,- c,--sos "a 81.
The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-12-05
A GOOD SHOW; BUM HOUSE
Charley Grapewn in the Awakening
of Mr.. Pipp" at Gennett Was
Extremely Good,

a bum house. A great production.
That is the story in brief of the
awakening of Mr.. Pipp" the farce
musical comedy which appeared at
the Gennett theatre last night, with
Charley Grapewin as leading man.
The show was strong in dialogue as
we'll as music and cNnedy and the
audience was carried through storm
of fun, shower of catchy airs, and a
sprinkling of pathoS-
The great number of characters did
not deteriorate from the attractive
ness OF the play as all parts were
taken by finished actors, while their
management in the situations, show
cd that the playwright George Tottyn
Smith, as slang would state it lis ON
TO his job
Should Charley Gr1yewin, who is
and irresistible comedian, once more
make his appearance in this city the
public would respond Il remember
YOU and would fill the theatre from
pit to dome.
The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-12-05
TWO DOZEN At LECTURE.
FEW HEARD MARY SIBBITT
Temperance Lecturer Scored "High
Society" Tobacco Users and the
Government for Licensing the Liq-
uor Traffic.

Mary Sibbitt, who spoke at the
Grace NJ Z. church last night, was
greeted by about two dozen people
who attended to hear her discuss the
temperance question. Many of Mrs
Sibbitt's remarks bordered on the rad
ical, and she openly fiayed the 'socie-
ty OF Richmond, stating that there
We're more high class people in the
city who were degenerates, than in
the lower class of people She stat
ed that it was nothing unusual for cabs
to greet the drunken rich man at the
saloon doors and take him to his
home. She also scored tobacco us
ers, and the government for licensing
this traffic and the liquor traffic.
The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-12-05
WELL PLANNED SURPRISE
PYTHIANS' HAPPY TIME
Members of Couer de Lion Lodge Walk
Into Banquet Room to Find Their
Mothers and Wives Waiting to Join
in Festivities.

Last night the surprise committee
of the Couer de Lion Lodge of x of p.
which is greatly Interested in getting
out al, lodge members at each meeting
night, put in a few ticks that, figura-
lively speaking, knocked the different
members who attended the meeting.
off their feet. The committee sent
invitations to the wives and mothers
Of the different members TO attend the
meeting last night unknown to their
husbands and sons. While the regu
lar lodge session was in progress, the
ladies' slipped into the lower lodge hall
where an elegant banquet was being
prepared, and when the members of
the lodge entered the room after their
Esssion. they were greeted with the
smiling faces of their closest of all
friends. They were dumbfounded to
say the least, but recovered as the ban
quet progressed. The occasion was
one OF the most unique that has occur.
red IN lodge circles for several months
AND made a decided hit with all per.
sons attending.
Shortly after the banquet was serv
ed DR.. John M. Wampler, the toast
master, introduced Richard Whitman
who gave the toast "The Women
Senator Kirkman responded to the
toast "Pythianism," and Michael. Kel-
ley spoke on Our Brothers at Home"
Glenn Carr, who is visiting i'll the city,
and who was u former active member
Of the lodge, made short speech.
After the toasts further entertainment
was provided in the way of special mu
sic i'll the lodge room.
The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-12-05

The absaatminded professor We have
always with us. but George Wash
ington university lays claim TO the
prize package. Not only is Professor
X. absentminded to a marked degree.
but his wife is the typical absent
minded professors wife. 1t is she
who places his books ready for the day
she who changes tie buttons to fresh
shirt, reminds him OF the necessity %
an umbrella when he starts out in the
pouring rain and she who runs out TO
the gate with his glasses seven day.
in the week.
As usual one day recently she pre-
pared his morning bath and through
some oversight left the hot water
sp got turned on. Professor X entered
the bathroom, disengaged himself from
his bath robe and plunged into the tub.
Instantly the air was rent by wild
shrieks, and his wife ran upstairs.
breathlessly inquiring the cause Of
such commotion-
.'Oh, Margaret" he exclaimed, 'the
water is boiling bot. am being scald-
ed to death"
Where in the world are you, dear:H
said the now thoroughly alarmed WIFE
In the tub, and the water is scald-
ing me. What shall I dof'
In such case, my dear responded
his better half, Il would either get out
OF the tut, or turn on the cold water
Washington Post.
The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-12-05
Manufacturers of the ExpIO-
siveS Ignore Request of
Federal Government.
PLANT Is OPEN TO ALL
LITTLE FIGHTERS FROM ACROSS
THE OCEAN SEND THEIR Ex
PERTS TO EXAMINE MINES, UNI
GLE SAM USES
Publishers, Press.l

New York, Dec. 4.-Despite the pro.
tests of the Federal Government, the
officials of E. W. Bliss and Company
OF Brooklyn are going to permit agents
of the Japanese Government to inspect
the Bliss-Leavitt todpedo in all stages
OF manufacturing and this too, al
though the torpedo is now being used
by the U. S. government.
Our factory is open TO the Japa.
nese,' said vice president Page to a
correspondent of the Publishers Press
Association this afternoon. e. w.
Bliss and Co, have the right to deal
with any foreign government and have
no agreement to dispose of all of their
stock to the United States. We are
not only going to permit the Japanese
to inspect our torpedoes as they are
made but we hope to book good or
ders for the completed material from
the Japanese government.
Mr. Pages statement was decided
ly interesting in view of the present
war talk between Japan and the Unit
ed States Some time ago the +. w
Bliss Co. opened negot. atoms with for
eign governments, among them ia
pan. The Japanese government in
sisted on an examination by its ord
nance experts and at once made ar
to send the experts to
America.
The representatives of the govern
ment will probably make a determn-
ed fight to prevent the Japanese
agents from inspecting all the parts
and mechanism of the torpedoes used
by the government, but they will be
helpless to prevent the Bliss Compa.
ny from showing certain torpedoes to
the Japanese. The company has two
forms of torpedoes. One is the kind
used by the government and the other
is almost exactly the some in model
and construction.
When the BlisS-Leavitt torpedo was
invented, it was offered to the L. S.
the Bliss Company offer
ing to let the government have the
sole right to the patent. AS the tor
Dedo was regarded as an Improvement
over the Whitehead torpedo, the gov
decided to adopt it for the ma
Wy. But the government declines to
buy sole rights. 1t took the position
that it could not be made secure in the
rights. as the Bliss company had taken
)ut foreign patents in all the import
ant foreign countries.
The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-12-05
DIPLOMATIC CHANGES
important Transfers to be Made il
Consular Service-Successor to
Meyer Undecided
Publishers, PreSs1

Washington, Dec. 1T was made
known at the Department of State
this afternoon that the following i'm
poFtant diplomatic changes will soon
take effect:
United States Ambassador Henry
White is to be transferred from Rome
to Paris. to succeed Ambassador Nc
Cormick, who will resign. Mr.. White
is a native of Baltimore. Md.
Mr.. Lloyd Griscom, now ambassa-
dor to Brazil, is to be made ambassa-
dor TO Italy.
1t has not been definitely decided
who will succeed Ambassador Never,
at st. Petersburg, who comes home
to accept place in the cabines as
postmaster general.
The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-12-05
Additional Society.

Mrs. Katherine Lerze entertained
last evening at the home of her
daughter Mrs. Emma Eggemeyer.
with a six course dinner. The dec
orations were ferns and chrysanthe-
NUNS. Twelve guests were present
x
The Women's Foreign Missionary
society of the Grace NJ f. church will
hold their regular meeting at the
home of. Mrs T. 4. Mott this after
noon at 2:30 O'Clock. The meeting
will be the occasion of the regular
quarterly silver offering and it is re
quested that all members of the so
ciety be present.
= x
The Penny Club will meet this af-
ternoon at the home of Kate Dewey
at sos Sheridan street
The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-12-05
LOST.

LOST-Neckiace of gold beads viii
gold cross pendant. Liberal n
ward ii returned to Mrs. j. III. Gil
christ, Wayne Flat. Al
LOST-A ladies' gold watch Sundd
evening. Finder please return
IA South street and receive Il
ward. Al
LOST-Saturday evening mel
Fourth and Main streets, n Will
bull pup with short tail. AnsweI
to the name of Queen. Please n
turn to - Fort Wayne Ave and II
ceive reward. Al
I.oST-Psaty who took package cd
tanning Ipair ladies button shot
with rubber heels and left old pa
of mems shoes, please retr-n sarj
&c Restaurant. 3-3r
LOST red wooden belt with phi
tograpt button attached Pleay
leave 1t this office Sat
LOST-kid glove, right hand. II
turn b Palladium office.
The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-12-05
Humor Gno Philosophy
By DUNCAN n. SMITH
OLD STANDBYS

Newfangled wit
May make 4 HE
And call on laughter 10 attend.
But for "A joke
That makes you choke
You like to meet an ancient friend.
Perhaps a few
Brand, spanking new,
May tighten up your daily load
But still YOU miss
The ones like this:
'why does the chicken cross the roadr'
The older brand
You understand
And know just where your sides TO split
For ones untried
There is no guide,
Which may embarrass you Bit
The ones in stock
VIII never shock
The modest with their simple art.
While newer jokes
May cause the folks
To call doctor for your heart.
The ancient Jest
Is much the best
II one is tempted to explode
Long life attend
Our time tried friend.
''Why does a chicken cross the roadT'
The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-12-05
MORE CHARGES OF
UNION GRAF TING
Shea Trial Continues with Ac-
CuSationS of Sensational
Nature.
YOUNG FEARS FOR LIFE
STAR WITNESS IN STATE BOR-
DERING ON NERVOUS COL
LAPSE ON ACCOUNT OF THE
THREATS MADE AGAINST HIM.
Publishers, Press.l


Chicago, Dec. 4.-More charges of
tempts by certain employers to Grip
pie business rivals by buying
strikes against the latter were
brought out at the Cornelius p. Shea
trial today.
Some of the accusations were made
point blank from the witness stand
by Albert Young, the former leader
in the transfers union, who. by
pleading guilty to conspiracy and
turning states evidence, is seeking to
send many of his former officials to
the penitentiary.
Other charges were brought out by
questions from the attorneys for the
defense. Answers were permitted to
but few of them, but the questions
themselves told the story the accused
union men wish the jury to hear.
In conclusion, sweeping charges
of perjury We're made against Young,
coupled with threats of indictments
against the witness, the falsity of
whose story. the defendants lawyers
asserted, will be shown when Shea
goes on the witness stand.
Young himself says he is less
afraid of indictments than that he
will be "slugged to death" by Shea'S
followers.
The report that the teamsters alleg-
ed -wrecking crew" are looking for
Young has reduced the latter to the
point almost of nervous collapse. The
court authorities take the rumors SER
iously enough to keep vigilant
guard over the witness and close
watch on all whom they think might
be tempted to attack him.