davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Los Angeles herald., 1906-05-06

Among the speakers that ruled the
house. through the force of personality
two Stand out pre-e eminently, Henry
Clay and James G. Blaine. In that par
ticular feature neither has ever had
superior nor an equal. There are sew
eral men in the house today mentally
stronger than Cannon, and he would
be unable to rule that body as he has
done but for the intensity of partyism
Only now and then is there a speaker
so great in personality that his influ-
ence overrides partisan feeling and lifts
men above that narrow feeling into the
realm of patriotic desire to promote the
welfare of the nation.
So long as the people elect small men
to congress through the manipulations
of political machines and bosses, so
long will there be a house of represent
atives ruled on oligarchic principles by
speaker. Weak men constitute the
aliment on which oligarchies feed.
Cannon and Roosevelt are evidently
in accord, and the speaker has rendered
no inconsiderable service to the country
in combating the authority of the
senate.
Any speaker will be more or less a
czar in proportion that the rules shall
enable him to bind the members hand
and foot to a machine that the rules
allow him to create. Autocratic gov
ernment will exist whenever partisan
feeling is in the ascendant over
patriotism.
Los Angeles herald., 1906-05-06
Electricity Will Supplant Oil in General Use

take the edge off the chilliness of the
air. In this room there is also mas
sage motor which can be attached to
any incandescent lamp socket and be
operated by any one.
One of the great features of this
Electric home" Is the kitchen where
every particle of food cooked gets its
heat from electricity. There is no
kitchen stove, and all the devices for
cooking rest on an ordinary wooden
table. The outfit includes an oven,
cereal cooker, frying pan, vegetable
broiler, gridiron and meat broiler. The
oven has a regulating switch for secur-
ing high, low and medium grades or
heat, by a turn of the handle. In size
it is about the same inside dimensions
as the old style kitchen stove, or later
designs of gas ovens. A novel feature
OF this oven is two glass windows In the
door, through which meat or bread
may be seen cooking without opening
the oven. This arrangement is secured
by placing an incandescent lamp in the
back of the oven.
The electric gridiron is nine inches by
twelve inches In size. 1t requires but
couple OF minutes to get 1t hot atter
which the most delightful brown cakes
may be cooked in a most convenient
manner. The meat broiler is equally
pleasing to handle, being regulated by
the switch for two or three heats, as
may be desired.
The cereal cooker is a four combina-
ton device. The first operation In the
morning is to use it for heating water
for coffee; combination two is to use 1t
as a cereal cooker: combination three
is to use IL for boiling eggs; and COM
bination four permits of steaming pota-
toes. using the perforated potato
steamer. This device may be used con-
secutively for all four combinations.
AS to the cost of using this form of
heat. Mr.. Hillman thus described his
experience:
"Until a few years ago the electric
lighting business was confined to the
opera tion of electrical machinery at
night. There was a most limited use
for 1t during the day. During the past
few years, however, the Introduction
of electric motors for all kinds of power
has created a demand for operation
twenty-four hours per day. The OUTFIT
is used a great deal during the day
time.
"The lighting company Is glad 10 nave
me use electricity so extensively, espe-
cially considering the time when 1t is
Los Angeles herald., 1906-05-06
Powerful influence of Speaker OF House of Representatives

In the British commons a partisan
speaker is never chosen. but one who
will be studiously impartial: but in this
country it is the practice to choose a
speaker from the majority party. In
the British commons the speaker is not
allowed to name the committees; in our
lower house it is otherwise. Nearly
all the committees are composed of a
majority from the speakers party.
committees that will work up to the
party program, and it is left to the
speaker to enforce it.
In our house of representatives there
has always been a cloture rule; prior
to the Reed regime it was the previous
question which could only be ordered
by majority vote of the house. Since
the adoption of the Reed rules, though
they have been somewhat modified, the
greatest power has been lodged with
the committee on rules, composed of
the speaker and one member from each
party. AS the speaker appoints that
committee he constitutes the majority,
and ii primarily decides what questions
shall be brought before the house. 1t
is true that the house may override the
rules committee, but it rarely does. for
the speakers position is deemed an in
dication of what is the party policy
ana program. The rules committee
overrides all members not prominent
and renders them mere pawns on the
chessboard. Only very strong members
have the courage to combat the rules
committee and the speaker. The effect
is oligarchic government. If the presi-
dent and speaker act in accord, as they
usually do when both are of the same
party, the result is machine and boss
rule.
Thomas B. Reed was a man of Inn
mense mental force, an autocrat by
nature, and the discipline of his party
enabled him to exhibit his czaristic
proclivities. This rule was solely that
of power. Speaker Cannon is of lesser
intellectual and physical force but not
of disposition. The present house of
representatives is not quite as submis-
which Reed presided. The Reed rules
have been somewhat modified and
ameliorated, and the house can reject
orders made by the rules committee.
but il rarely does. for the whip and
spur of party i'm most cases override
Individual wishes Cannon is not aVerse
to applying the party lash, and though
he may not do il as tyrannically as
Reed did, still his course Is hardly less
effective than that Of Reed. In person
ality Reed was more potential than
Cannon can be. Under our system II
is recognized as a duty of. the speaker
10 protect quite as much the interests
Of party as the interests Of the country
Los Angeles herald., 1906-05-06

chamberers have" He was blunt and
brusque, but not discourteous. His ap-
pearance indicated that he did not lack
confidence in himself, and it was ap-
parent that he was "A man of consider
able thought and well defined ideas. He
was not cowed in the presence of men
of experience and who had achieved
high reputation.
Cannon had peculiar gestures. When
he wished to press home a point he
thrust out his right arm straight from
the shoulder, closed all the fingers of
the right hand except the fifth, and that
he pointed at the person with whom he
was in controversy 1t was done in Il
sort of jerking way.
No man in the house at that time
was oftener on the floor than Cox of
New York. He was decidedly partisan,
and so was Cannon. Cox studied MEM
bers very closely and anything peculiar
i'm manner he especially made note of,
CoX's passions for wit and humor were
controlling with him, and he lost no
opportunity TO indulge in them at the
expense almost of any one. In fact, he
would sacrifice sound argument to
indulge in making a laughable point,
He liked to hector men; but he was
only playful, not vicious.
One day when Cox was making a
speech Cannon Interrupted by asking
permission to put question. AS was
his habit, Cannon thrust out his arm
and little finger. Cox said he might If
he wouldn't point his finger at him.
Cannon sat down in disgust and Cox
proceeded with his speech But Can
non very soon arose and repeated his
request. Cox said :"You know the con-
dition," which Cannon accepted; but i'm
putting the question his habit got the
better of him and Cox said: "Sit down,
you have broken your contract" and
went right along with his speech.
Nothing could suppress Cannon; he
was ambitious, Industrious and per-
sistent; more plOdding than brilliant.
In his long service he has learned much,
and as chairman of the appropriations
committee for several terms he did
excellent service I'm the line of economy
and in thwarting jobbing schemes En-
dowed with considerable natural ability
he has taken the best advantage of OPP
pOrtunities to improve.
He has represented a farming con-
stituency; he is honest. and his man
ners and work have been highly ac-
ceptable to the people of his district.
He Is strong in viii power, combative
and faithful, adherence to Republican
programs has made him strong with
his party. He is well fitted by nature
and experience to accept responsible
ties. He is not large in body, but has
good health and is untiring IN work,
Los Angeles herald., 1906-05-06

r. YER see telephone construction
r crew at work7 You probably have,
- for there's already telephone to
every twenty or thirty people in the
land and the orders for extensions are
pouring in upon the companies so fast
that their husky men who put up the
poles, string the wires and install the
instruments are working overtime.
Crews Of them are in sight about
everywhere.
You've perhaps noticed some of the
difficult problems they have to solve
i'm order to make the useful wires reach
their destined stations. The telephone
men, particularly those employed in
line construction work, don't need TO
go out of their way to find trouble. IL
is always waiting for them around the
corner, and II Is up to them to over
come IL on the spot. What makes 1t
worse is that each locality has its own
peculiar perpleXties.
Sometimes these arc technical some-
times they relate to the conditions of
working out of doors and living in
tents. as the construction fellows are
frequently required to do. Thus the
Bell men who are busy along the New
Jersey coast have from early spring
to late autumn some peculiar trials and
tribulations. The Jersey "skeeter" is
no myth. Pennyroyal Is standing
item of expense among the gangs at
work in the sandy country. That to-
gether with strong tobacco and thick
stockings are things that the clerk in
charge of the supply department of the
construction force must not be without
Pennyroyal would hardly do for the
horses, so these four-footed friends
and assistants are wrapped up in bur-
lap, as q protection against the Jersey
pest.
But there are compensations in this
particular locality. The work is easier
in some ways than in most sections.
The sandy New Jersey soil does not
trouble the telephone men. When
they come to the spot where a pole is
to be set they simply elevate the big
stick and set a jack at work at
the foot of 1t. This water-iack is a
device that causes a powerful stream
to play upon the sand at the foot of
the pole and in this way ten feet OF
pole can be lowered in a few minutes,
the shaft sinking of its own weight
When it is set, it's set to stay, for
the sand flows back around the base
and makes a foundation that is just
as good as sslid rock.
That's simple enough. When a pole
line is run over a stretch of bare ledge,
involving blasts of dynamite, every
body in the gang has to work hard
So, too, in most exceptional localities.
Los Angeles herald., 1906-05-06

covering the circumference used with a
sort of life belt made Of strips of hard
wood.
AS a rule telephone poles are set 1870
feet apart, and this distance is measured
off regardless of obstacles. Where it Is
necessary to have a long span of 200
feet or more the section each side of the
span is only seventy-five feet in length.
The wires are strung with a uniform
Sag" differing according to conditions
Here and there are set what are known
as transpostion poles, on which the
wires are so interchanged that induc-
ton will be prevented. Wire No. is
here so shifted that it continues on in
the place that ordinarily would be oc-
cupied by wire No. 2, while wire No. 2
continues its way in the place wire No.
would occupy, and so on. These
transposition poles are set, according
to the standard, 1900 feet apart.
The men are under general instruc-
tions to locate pole lines upon the
most direct and practicable system Of
highways and to cross private property
only to avoid abrupt turns, long de-
tours, trees or other obstacles. If pos
sible, lines are routed straight as crow
flies. The length of poles is propor-
toned to the contour of the country.
If there is a sharp dip, then instead Of
30 or 35-foot pole they use 40, so or
60-footer, as may be needed; or, il
there is a sharp rise, then poles shorter
than the average are used, the purposes
being to keep the line as nearly leYel
as possible.
Submarine telephone cable is used
for crossing rivers and harbors in most
places, but occasionally there are sea-
sons for bridging waterway instead OF
going under it. Along the Connecticut
river, for example, are two such places.
At one the Bell people erected wooden
tower on either bank-towers thirty
eight feet high-strung a couple of sus-
pender cables between them, laid sort
of open flooring upon the cables, and,
finally, fastened the communication
cables to this bridgeway, which Is some
$50 feet long. At the second place one
bank is much higher than the other,
and the span is so long that it imposes
severe strain. Here steel towers were
erected, one 1855 feet high and the other
eighty feet high and a suspension
bridge built between them as before.
Last year Bell workmen laid 696 9S2
miles of cable underground, mostly in
ducts made of terra Gotta or creosoted
wood. The choice of either of these
materials depends largely upon local
conditions; that is to say, in certain
places one of these materials would
be more available than the other.
Where bridges are crossed the cable is
laid in iron pipe set in concrete and the
sides and top of the creosoted wood
duct are likewise protected in this
manner.
Los Angeles herald., 1906-05-06

II NGINEERS say this will be an
r Electric Year" Electricity is
soon to operate all the railroads
in and around New York City. 1t is
sending the trolley car and the tele-
phone to the remotest rural districts.
The incandescent and other new styles
of electric light are everywhere sup
planting the old-fashioned gas or oil
street lamp. And now this mystic cur
rent has begun to revolutionize condl-
tions of living in homes.
The first electric home" has just
been completed in one of the cities of
upper New York state. This home Is
equipped with almost every modern
electrical device and 1t is a veritable
wonderland of marvels. The owner,
II. W. Hillman, believes the time is
not far distant when homes all over the
world will be fully equipped with cleo
tricity for lighting, heating and power,
as commonly as oil and gas are now
used. The greater cleanliness, health
fulness, safety and convenience of cleo
tricity as compared to gas will. he con-
tends, result in the universal use Of
electricity.
This remarkable dwelling has electric
lights IN every room, in every closet, in
every dark corner. Instead of the con-
ventional bell burglar alarm, Mr.. Hill
bed by pushing which he can instantly
turn on every light in the house This
would terrify any thief more than a
dozen revolvers.
In the sewing room, a machine run
by an electric motor saves endless
trouble. on a table beside the machine
is an electric fiatiron ready for use at
any time. In this room there is also a
telephone, and an electric radiator for
auxiliary heating.
The dining room has an electric chaf-
ing dish. a corn pepper, coffee perco-
lator, and luminous radiator. In the
bed rooms there are electric heating
pads instead of the old fashioned hot
water bottles which are always liable
to burst and produce disaster Here,
too, are electric curling irons and nat
irons.
The bath room is an astonishing
place. An electric immersion coil heats
the water. when the house furnace Is
shut down in summer. There is little
boiler to supply hot water Quickly Tor
shaving. Here, too, is an electric rad
iator-a device which costs but $l2, but
which Mr.. Hillman pronounces a great
comfort when something is needed TO
Los Angeles herald., 1906-05-06
A BRIDGE OF LATHs AND WIRES

soil of the Crescent City to contend
with they must USE instead of sub
ways, elevated ducts of concrete.
Again, through the white sandstone
which underlies the streets of st. Paul,
Mimi, the telephone men, instead of
laying ducts, simply dug tunnels, and
to the sides of the tunnels they at
tached the telephone cables. These bor-
ings are reminiscent of the Roman
catacombs. Here and there the grated
doors that furnish light and air may
be seen in the face of the bluff upon
which the city stands
In more ordinary circumstances the
work of spreading the copper meshes
of the national talking system proceeds
according to an orderly routine. Into
Los Angeles herald., 1906-05-06
NOT ALONE

The fire upon the hearth is low.
And there Is stiffness everywhere;
Like troubled spirits, here and there
The firelight shadows fiuttering go,
And as the shadows round me creep,
A childish treble breaks the gloom,
And softly from a farther room
Comes; Now lay me down to sleep"
And somehow, with that little prayer
And that sweet treble in my ears,
My thought goes back to distant years
And fingers with a dear one there;
And as hear the child's Amen,
My mothers faith comes back to me,
Couched at her side ] seem to be,
And mother holds my hand again.
o for an hour in that dear plaeel
o for the peace OF that dear time!
o for that childish trust sublime!
o for a glimpse of mothers face!
Yet as the shadows round me creep,
/ do not seem 10 be alone;
Sweet magic of that treble tone
And. Now / lay me down to sleep"
Detroit News-Tribune.
Los Angeles herald., 1906-05-06

the deolivity to enter the basement Of
the concrete structure I'm which are
the water wheels, the generators and
other necessary machinery. The $4,000
horse power wheels are In capacity the
largest power units ever built for high
heads, and are as large as any built
under any circumstances. The verti-
cal shafts, by which the wheels are
connected to the generators on the
floor above are designed for a speed Of
S75 revolutions a minute. AS each gem
orator is of 10000 horse power capacity,
10000 horse power represents the or
binary production OF the present sta
ton; but with the water available five
other pipes may be laid to supply
water to nve other wheels and thus
give the station total of $4,000 horse
power. In other words, this power sta
tion on the bank of the st. Louis
river. with its present machinery, will
supply three times the horse power
which suffices to run all the great
mills in the manufacturing city of
Lowell; and Lawrence, near at hand,
Los Angeles herald., 1906-05-06

in the construction of long distance
lies through Rocky mountain passes
I'm Colorado. Here II was found that
on account of the wind and sleet the
poles wouldn't stay up. After many
setbacks the construction men hit upon
the plan of using submarine Bell cable,
which Is so strongly armored that the
wear and tear resulting from the ebb
and flow of tides has comparatively
little effect upon IL. This cable was
laid at high attitudes In trenches, dug
just deep enough to preclude disturb
ance from traffic or trouble above
ground. The result has been that dis
tant mining towns have had excellent
service, though often the wires that
connect them with the outer world
are buried under 30 feet of snow.
AT New Orleans the Rocky mountain
arrangement was reversed. Instead of
using submarine cable in the ground,
they employed underground cable
above the surface. The Bell engineers
early discovered that with the oozy
Los Angeles herald., 1906-05-06

used, and for this purpose makes me a
special price. During the past two
years / have paid them about $110 per
year for electricity for lighting and
heating, as compared with the average
electric lighting bills of about thirty
to thirty-five dollars per year.
'My bills for the electric heating cir
cult have been between six and seven
dollars per month. For gas and coal
together my bills formerly amounted
to six dollars per month. No effort
whatever has been made to economize
during any month for two years.
The laundry in this marvellous home
is also fully equipped with electricity.
There is no SCOT and no ashes, no uu-
bearable heat in summer.
For ten years." says Mr.. Hillman,
"the coal range had done duty for our
washing and ironing. Then we used a
gas range for six years, though we used
coal stove for wash days. The COM
mon objection existed as to the heat
from the stove during the hot days and
the taking of many steps from the
stove to the ironing board, 1t being
natural to get as far away from the
stove as possible, to avoid the fumes
and heat. 1t cost me from nine to fif
teen cents for the coal consumed.
THE electric iron has now been used
by us for twenty-six months, and rep
ltotAANo - iiO0b PpPdAll AeiNiS. feit SNoN'
about $S,75 to purchase, the ironing is
finished more quickly and handled
more comfortably on a hot day; II saves
steps, and the operating cost for the
same work is about twelve cents
"In our experience with electrical de-
vices the coal range continued to be
necessary until superseded by a spe-
cial electric wash boiler. This was
twelve cents per week, or forty-eight
cents per month more expensive than
the coal range. The latest and best
arrangement, however, is the wash
ing machine operated by an electric
motor, which we are about TO install"
The Hillman house will not be the
only one of It's kind. Others are al
ready being built and additional electri-
cal contrivances are being invented all
most every day. Among the latest Of
these time, labor and dirt-saving de-
vices are the electrical refrgerating
machine and the furnace regulator.
DO not keep on wraps for any length
of time after entering a warm room.
The tendency Is to overhead and make
one more sensitive to the cold
Los Angeles herald., 1906-05-06
A Tour With the Line Builders

with rubble consisting Of one part CO.
ment, two parts sand and FIVE parts
stone. In other Instances they brace
the poles In various ways. Where a
corner is to be turned. or where the
lines are specially exposed to violent
weather, they are steadied with guys
which are generally attached to nearby
trees or anchored in rocky ground.
Sometimes a pole Is simply braced by
means of another pole sunk diagonally
to an equal depth In the ground.
An odd form Of construction, where
the earth is especially soft and where
guying or bracing is difficult, is that Of
two poles set at a less acute angle,
so that when the crossarms are In posi-
ton they take on something like the
appearance of a capital II. The anchors
employed are generally creosoted
blocks or logs, buried at various depths
In the ground and attached to the tele-
phone poles with guy stands. Prefer
ably the guy is fastened to tree trunk,
the tree being protected from injury by