davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The San Francisco call., 1907-01-20

Iseese's partner. Captain Hinckiey. lay
IN the bay. and from her Mr.. Leese
was supplied with a generous amour.
OF bunting for the occasion. he was
also furnished with the Mexican colors
from a Mexican brig then in the har-
Dor, and the entire interior OF the
banquet-hall was lavishly decorated
with the two colors intertwined From
the roof OF the building the American
blue riding the breeze for the first time
on the peninsula.
To aid in the celebration Captain
Hinckiey provided an orchestra from
the Don ouixote, two small cannon
were borrowed Ffrom the Preside TO
punctuate the toasts, and all was in
readiness when the guests began 10
arrive at o'clock in the afternoon.
Among the prominent guests were the
stately Generals Vallejo and Castro. re-
minders OF the giories of Spanish days.
General vallejo's daughter was given
in marriage 20 Mr.. Leese shortly after
ward, and the next year a child was
born who upheld the growing honor
OF the house by being the first white
child-Rosalia Leese-born within the
limits OF Yerba Buena
Mr.. Leese, considering doubtless
that he had done enough for history,
turned his attention TO his extensive
mercantile interests.
Mr.. Leese had arrived in California
IN 1893. coming from New Mexico,
where for a time he was engaged In
trade at Santa Fe. He made short
stay AZ Los Angeles and IN 1886 came
90 Monterey with Governor Chico,
The San Francisco call., 1907-01-20

nails, as the owner OF the first house
the raiser of the first flag and the
father Of the first white child born
in San Francisco-three facts which
bear witness to the courage, the spirit
and the way Of the old pioneer.
The Leese family Is now represented
in San Francisco by Jacob Leese, a
son, prominent in the politics of the
State.
The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1907-01-31
Seed Corn Special.

Arrangements have been COM
pleted for the running of special
seed corn train over the Pennsylvania
lines in Indiana by the Purdue Ex-
pertinent Station The train will start
February 25th and will continue on
the trip Is days, covering 1900 miles
of the Pennsylvania system in the
state More than 165 stops will be
made, at which lectures will be CIV
en-, and printed literature be distribut-
ed. AT no time has the seed corn Of
the state been in a more serious con-
dition than at the present and at no
time has the Experiment Station been
in better position to lend assistance
than right now. Those wishing SEIZED
ules or other information can obtain
the same by applying to G. |. Chris
tie, Lafayette, Ind.
The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1907-01-31
Eliminating the Pension Agents.

United States pension agents get
$4,000 year. There are eighteen of
them in all, scattered over the coun-
try They have offices in which thew
keep duplicate rolls of all the recip-
tents of pensions in their respective
districts, and they have also clerks
who fill out the periodical pension
checks. The commissioners sign the
checks in addition to drawing their
salaries.
In these days of fast mails there is
no more reason why man in Peoria
should get his check from Chicago
than why he should get it from
Washington. For that matter, there
is no more. reason why man in
Hyde Park should get his check from
an office in the federal building than
why he should get it from Washing
ton The pension agents are parasites
on the pay roll. If the whole work
was handled at the central Office in
Washington not only would their sal
aries be saved--a matter of $4,000 a
year-but also there would be ma
terial saving in clerk hire because of
the elimination of the duplicate pen
sion lists.-Record Herald.
The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1907-01-31
-olored Woman's Bravery.

Miss Matte Merritt, of Indianapo-
lis, aged 2s a negro woman, gave her
life in an effort to save two nieces,
Loverna Taylor, aged FIVE, and Eta
King, aged 3, from death in flames.
The woman persisted, and with her
the two little ones were burned to
death. The woman had. returned TO
the bedroom where the children lay.
after she had herself found safety in
the open air She smashed a window
and clambered into the room, and
was in the act of rescue when the
flames overcame her. The open win
dow caused a draught which famed
the fire to such fury that she was
cut off from hope of escape.
The explosion of lamp started
the fire which consumed the house, a
three room cottage.
The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1907-01-31

A meeting was held in Kuhn's hall
Saturday afternoon, with about 100
citizens and farmers present, for the
purpose of taking steps toward the
organization of Mutual Telephone
system in this county.
The movement was started by
farmers using rural phones out of Ar
gos. 1t seems that these farmers have
been grieved by poor service, and ap-
peals having been made in vain, they
adopted the plan of organizing a
stock company to institute system
of rural phones throughout the entire
county and also make connections
with Plymouth, Bourbon, Argos and
other towns of the county.
A. 0. Roose of Walnut township,
opened the meeting, stated the pur-
pose of the same, and officers were
then elected
0. A. Greiner was chosen presi-
dent, and Warren McFarlin secretary
and treasurer Plans for the estab-
lishment of the system were discussed
by L. NJ Lauer, Chas. Helm, Peter
Helm, A. 0. Roose, and others and
all were strongly in favor of proceed
ing with the movement.
Examples were given of Whitley,
Kosciusko and other counties where
the Mutual system has been installed
and is now working with the best of
success. The Bell telephone company
has in similar cases shown itself will
ing to make connections with these
systems, and the farmers feel that
they will in this case also.
1t was agreed that another meet
ing should be called to which Mr.
Anglin, the man who installed the
Mutual system in Kosciusko, be in
vited to give advice regarding the set
ting up of such system in this
county.
A working committee was appoint
ed for the purpose of meeting COM
mittees from other townships, to draw
up a written plan of organization.
This committee was composed of
Chas. Helm, N. A. Goodrich, v. A.
Lidecker, John Richards, VIM. Beck.
Jesse Miller, and Elmer Wedding,
Chas. Helm to act as chairman
The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1907-01-31
West Indian Negroes.

Addressing the Knife and Fork
club of Kansas City, Mr.. Shonts made
a surprising statement about the COM
mon laborers from the West Indies
employed on the canal.
He said experience had shown that
no price of food could be low enough
to induce them to eat sufficient
quantity to keep them in good phys
ical condition. 1t was only when the
food was cooked and offered them
free that they ate heartily.
Now, what is to become of the ne
gro's reputation as glutton? A glut-
ton will not starve himself when he
can get plenty to eat for sum equal
to one-third of his wages Or less. Mr..
Shonts was evidently surprised at the
discovery that the West Indian ne
groes would go hungry to save mon
ey where good meal could be had
for 10 cents.
The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1907-01-31
A Talk. About Earthquakes.

Professor Belar, seismologist chief
of the Laibach observatory at Aus
trla, reports a general disturbance of
the earth's surface and predicts more
earthquakes. This however, need not
cause general alarm, because the
earth has. been always more or less
uneasy. Yet of late she has dealt
more gently with wicked mankind
than in earlier days. Scientists are
quite convinced that the flood that
caused Noah to build the ark was
caused by big earthquake and there
is little doubt that Sodom and Co
morrah were destroyed in this man.
ner. Two hundred thousand persons
are said to have persisted in one
earthquake alone a couple of centur-
les ago in Yeddo, Japan, so the pres
ent disturbances are not SO startling
though the newspapers are more en-
terprising in securing the details of
the disasters.
As to the cause of earthquakes one
can accept any of a dozen theories
and give just as good evidence of its
being tenable as the next one, for
here is where learned scientists fall
out. There are those who believe
earthquakes to be acts of God as a
punishment for sin, and can prove
their theory by the Bible. Sodom was
50 wicked that Lots wife was turned
to salt just because she looked back
at it, and San Francisco people did
lot of things that were not quite prop
er Then there is the mechanical the
DRY about slipping strata; the volcanic
theory of fires in the earth's center;
the astronomical theory of the infu-
ence of the moon and the stars; the
electrical theory of subtle velocity of
electric motion; the chemical theory
of fermenting or decomposing miner
ais: and still other theories which
may or may not be correct
Earthquakes are accompanied by
variety of notifications, but the unin-
itiated can best recognize them by
the sound of a rough or moaning
wind, deep peal of thunder or of
heavy wagon being driven over
stone pavement. There is an average
of one a day recorded, Japan suffering
the worst. They are more frequent
in winter than in summer. One SCI
enlist says this is because of the
weight of the snow and the greater
pressure of atmosphere, but he may
be wrong They used to confne
themselve; more generally to South
Africa, the Orient and Central Asia,
but of late. are almost as frequent in
the western hemisphere. Some day
their cause may be established, but
this is doubtful
The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1907-01-31
A Really Great Man.

James Smithson, who left his for
tune of half a million dollars 10 the
United States for the founding of an
institution for 'the increase and diff
fusion of knowledge among men,"
was the illegitimate son of Sir Hugh
Smithson, afterwards Duke of North
cumberland. His mother was a niece
of the Duke of Somerset and had the
blood of English kings in her veins.
His half brother, the legitimate son
of his father, was the Lord Percy.
who commanded the British forces at
Bunker Hill. Such are the inconsis-
tencies of fate. The "bar sinister" of
his birth darkened and saddened
James Smithson's life, but through
his noble bequest his name will be
remembered when kings and queens
are forgotten.
The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1907-01-31

One of the things that puzzles a
foreigner of an inquiring turn of mind
is that at the seat of the United
States government-with its high Of
hcials, executive and judicial-the
people have absolutely no say in the
government, local or general No res
ident of the city of Washington, in
District of Columbia, has right to
vote AS matter of fact, no voting
of any kind is allowed there. And
what is more, very few of the better
class of people living there would as
sent to the re-introduction of tn.
right of suffrage in the District of
Columbia. They are entirely willing
to pay taxes, even though they do not
luxuriate in the precious glory Of
representation.
The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1907-01-31
Hanly Should Enforce Law.

Now that the legislature has killed
the bill proposing the abolition of
capital punishment in Indiana, it re-
mains to be seen whether Governor
Hanly will carry out his implied
threat and commute the sentences OF
the four red-handed murderers await
ing execution at Michigan City. If he
does take action of this kind he will
merit and receive some of the harsh
est sort of criticism. He should re-
member that he was elected to exc
cute the laws, not to pass on their
propriety. Since taking Office he has
had much to say respecting obedience
to law, and it is to be hoped that he
will live up to his truly excellent
preachments. He is no more entitled
to nullify the statute prescribing the
death penalty because he does not
like it, than saloon keeper is entitl-
ed to nullify the Sunday closing law
because it does not conform to his
sense of the eternal fitness of things.
1t is to be hoped that the governor
will see the point--Fort Wayne
News (Rep.)
The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1907-01-31
Can Not Drain Great Lakes.

The army engineers have advised
Secretary Taft that he. has no author
ity to permit the Sanitary Board of
Chicago to reverse the flow of the
Calumet River and create current
through that waterway from Lake
Michigan into the Mississippi River
This finding is based upon the con-
clusion that the project would lower
the level of Lake Michigan and in
juriously affect navigation in various
ports and harbors which the Govern
ment has improved. The secretary
has this finding under advisement and
expects to announce his decision soon
The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1907-01-31
Salary Grab Passed.

The United States senate has voted
to increase the salaries of senator's,
representatives and territorial dele
gates to congress from $1,000 to
$500 a year and to increase the sal
aries of the vice president and the
speaker of the house and cabinet
members from $4,000 to $4,000 a
year. The salary increase has already
passed the house of representatives.
The increase carried in the senate
by vote of SO to 81, after an amend
ment combining the increase to the
vice president, the speaker and cabi-
nent members and an amendment
postponing the increase until 1913
had been defeated This will give
the Democrats a majority i'll congress
two years from now The people
are opposed to the increase and will
say so by their votes in 1908.
The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1907-01-31
Uncle Sans Iceberg.

When Alaska was purchased by the
United States government forty
years ago for s7,OOO,OOO, there was a
loud cry against the investment. It
was claimed that Uncle Sam had
bought an iceberg The claim was
characteristic of those who have
found reasons for Directing to every
constructive act of the American gov
eminent for hundred years. 1t is
now stated that since the purchase OF
this vast territory the United States
has received as revenue from the
lease of the sealing privilege on the
Pribiloff Islands, more than nine mil
lion dollars, or two million more than
we raid for the territory. The trade
in skins on the Pribiloff Islands by
Americans since the purchase of Alas
ka exceeds fifty million dollars in val
lie
The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1907-01-31
Once Hanged by Guerillas.

John McGrogan who was hanged
by guerillas during the civil war, but
was cut down by some of Sherman's
cavalrynlen in time to save his life, is
dead, aged "a years. McGrogan met
with his trying experience during the
march to the sea. He was one of a
foraging party of eight which was cap
tured by the band of guerillas.
The prisoners were strung up to
the limbs of trees by their captors,
who had hardly gotten away when
party of Union cavalrymen arrived
and cut down the hanging bodies. Ot
the eight men McCrogan was the
only one that could be revived. He
had been terribly injured by the
pressure of the rope, but recovered
and served throughout the war.
The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1907-01-31

According to Indiana officers of the
Modern Woodmen of America, the
Babcock insurance bill, if passed as it
now stands will force the Woodmen
to suspend business in Indiana, at
least until June, 1908, and perhaps
permanently. There are $4,000 policy
holders in the state and all would be
affected. The Babcock bill proposes
that all fraternal insurance companies
in Indiana adopt the rating basis of
the National Fraternal congress,
composed of forty fraternal compan-
:es. The congress rate is higher than
that of the Woodmen, varying from
SO premium on 81, 900 policy at 81
to $25 at As years. The rating basis
of the Woodmen can only be changed
by the head camp, the highest legis-
lative body of the order, and they
will not meet until June, 1908. 1t is
very doubtful whether the head camp
would change the rating basis to sat-
isfy one state. The membership in
the United States is nearly 1000, 700.
There are 10 Woodmen in the House
and they are getting busy.
The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1907-01-31

1t is announced that the Republi-
cans of the state assembly have de-
cided on passing a bill to create a
separate department of insurance,
with a commissioner of insurance at
its head, private banking bill pub
lie depository bill, an antitrust bill
and a two-cent fare bill They de-
clare that the Republican platform
specifically declared in favor of these
measures, and the campaign was
fought by the party along the lines
of reform. While this is partially
true it does not cover all the provi-
sions, particularly of the insurance
bill. 1t was hardly understood or ad-
vocated by the party that new de-
partment of insurance was to be Gre
ated. The private banking bill too,
was not a definite promise of the
platform, or of the announced prin-
ciples of the party. The banking law
needs to be carefully safeguarded,
and while we do not know the details
of the proposed law its features must
be cautiously worked out to correct
much of the experience of the past
with this class of banks. While pri-
vate banks are not the only banks
that have defrauded the public, new
laws should be built on experience
Elkhart Review.
The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1907-01-31
Russian Jews in New York.

In a classification of immigration
according to the countries from
which they come we find that the
chief sources of supply for several
years have been Italy, Austria-H Hun
gary and Russia Except in the case
of Italy, however, the country does
not indicate the race, and the leading
racial elements are the Italian, Jew
sh and Polish During the fiscal year
ending June 80, 1905, the Jews alone
numbered 10000. There are enough
of them every year to make good
sized city
Of these newcomers it is said that
20, 900 are added to the population of
New York annually The fact is I'M
doubtedly true that the recent
growth of that city is largely ex-
planned by an enormous immigration
and the inclination of many of the
immigrants to remain where they
land Burton ]. Hendrick, who gives
the figures for the Jews in his article
on THE Great Jewish Invasion" in
McClure's, declares that New York
now contains some 100000 of these
people, most of them from Russia.
He says that they make up one-hfth
of the population of the greater city
and one-quarter of the population of
Manhattan. The change in twenty
five years has been remarkable. In
1881 the Jewish residents numbered
but $4,000, and they were mostly
German and Austrian Jews. Between
them and the late arrivals there is lit
tie association. "Intermarriages have
been about as infrequent and as much
frowned upon as between Protestants
and Catholics The German element
is probably not one-sixth of the
whole Jewish population"
The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1907-01-31

Throughout the two weeks the
house has been in a killing humor.
Antilobby bill. backed by the COVER
nor's message the bill abolishing the
board of pardons the bill against cap
ital punishment-these, the chief bills
killed. In addition to this two bills
carrying small appropriations were
killed, one raising the salary of the
geologist from $4,000 to $4,000 and
one appropriating money with which
to fight the San Jose Scale, the latter
bill being killed because of fight in
the State Horticultural society. OF
the 10 bills passed by the house, only
one, bill relating to the preservation
of shrubs and trees deserves any men,
ton. The others are local. The
house with the senate is to be given
credit for the passage of two joint
resolutions, one requiring the rail-
road commission to investigate the
two wrecks and one authorizing the
governor to aid the food sufferers.
The digestion of the members of
the senate has been better. The only
two bills of importance killed by this
body were the ones increasing the
amount paid to the circuit judges
over the state from $4,000 to $4,000
and the one specifically permitting
women to hold state Office and be
eligible to the different state boards.
AS usual both branches have killed
more bills than they have passed, "a
bills having passed one or the other
of the branches and "a having been
killed. The house has killed practi-
cally twice as many bills as it has
passed-19 to 10; the senate has kill
ed Is and passed one less.
The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1907-01-31

About two weeks ago acting Assis-
tant Commissioner Henry H. Kracke
of the New York State Agricultural
Department, wrote to DR.. Wiley of
the Bureau of Chemistry, United
States department of Agriculture for
some definite statement regarding
the use of coloring matter in butter.
In reply Dr. Wiley makes the follow
ing statement under date of January
z, 1907:
Replying to your letter of the 31st
ult., beg to say that the coloring of
butter is specifically permitted in
the law of August 2, 1886. 1t is held
by the department, therefore, that
the Food and Drug Act does not re-
peal the provisions of the act rcferr-
ed to above that the addition of
harmless color to butter may be
practiced as therein provided; and
that the presence of coloring matter
so employed is not required to be de-
.clared on the label"
We publish the above because a
statement to the contrary was re-
Gently sent out and has been publish
ed in almost every paper in the state.
The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1907-01-31
DIVERS PANAMA BID.
President Says Contractor Shall Be
Given Chance.

William ]. Oliver will be given the
contract for constructing the Panama
Canal, provided that within the next
ten days he associates himself with
at least two independent contractors,
whose skill and experience, combined
with his own, will cover the entire
field of the work.
This decision was reached at a con-
ference at the White House Satur-
day night, when the President insist
ed that Mr.. Oliver should be given
an opportunity to make satisfactory
arrangements to substitute some 9TH
er contractor or group of contractors
to take the place of Mr. Bangs. Pow
erful influences were brought to bear
on the President and Secretary Taft
to reject all bids and advertise for
new proposals, but the President took
the position that since Mr.. Oliver
had met all the requirements of the
government it would be unjust to
reject his bid of CTS per cent for the
construction of the canal or even to
require him to submit a new bid for
the contract.
Mr.. Oliver had informed the Pres
ident that it was his desire to submit
an independent bid for the work, and
that when the canal commission Off
Gals informed him that it would be
necessary to form partnership with
some other financially responsible
contractor they even went SO far as to
suggest that he enter into an agree
ment with Arson M. Bangs of New
York City. Mr.. Oliver said that after
receiving this suggestion from Chair
man Shonts he visited the War De-
partment and was informed that Mr..
Bangs would be entirely satisfactory
to the government Mr.. Oliver told
the President that with this assurance
as to the reliabilit of Mr. Bangs he
Immediately entered into an agree
ment with the New York contractor.