davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1907-07-10
Express Charges Will be Lowered.
Especial CorreIpondeuce Cedar RapIds Gazette


Des Moines, Iowa, June 27.--On
July 4 a law will 60 into effect re-
quiring the Iowa railroad commits
sion to put in a schedule of express
rates to be the maximum rates that
can be charged in Iowa. just on
the eve of the comission taking up
this duty come press dispatches that
the Adams Express company has
decided to pay 200 per cent divi-
dend with interest bearing bonds
which bonds are to be distributed
pro rata to the stock holders.
Chairman Ketchum of the com
mission clipped the dispatch out of
a newspaper and has it on his desk
at the state house aud between times
is meditating upon it. According
to the information he has this de-
cision of the Adams Express COM
pany is evidence that it has an
enormous surplus to distribute but
that it purposes to distribute it as
interest bearing bonds. So far as
can be learned the money will be
used in betterments. The distribu-
ton, as Mr.. Ketchum understands
it, is merely a present to the STOCK
holders but the public will be exA
pected by the company to pay rates
that will enable the express company
to pay the interest on these bonds:
According to the information this
action OF the express company is on
the eve OF action by the interstate
commerce commission, establishing
a uniform system OF bookkeeping
for the express companies which IN
the future will show Just how much
they make. They wlil not be shown
to make much after they have paid
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1907-07-10
Flirting Girls.

1t seems that all towns have some
of them, but Coon Rapids has SO
many flirting girls that the Enter
prise Of that place finds the subject
an excuse for the following gentle
roast which all parents would best
pay attention to:
"The crowd of girls that almost
every evening congregate at the
station to see the wheels go round"
is not an inspiring or promising
sight. Some of them are almost
rowdies, and some of them represent
some of the best families in town,
whose parents are no doubt wholly
ignorant Of where their girls are or
what they are doing. A few even
ings since, the Enterprise editor saw
two girls flirting with negro por-
ter, wildly gesticulating their arms
at him as though they might be
throwing kisses. 1t was great sport
for them. Another girl at another
time said to her girl companion as a
freight train passed, my, | love
that fellow" and the brakeman over
heard her. And these girls who are
here mentioned are nice, respectable
girls, of good families. How long
will it be until some Of them will be
ruined, and when this occurs, who
will be most responsible, the girls
or the parents? Girls ought to know
and parents ought to know that the
general opinion of girls who per-
petually flock about the depots is
not good. Girls have no business
there unless at the station to meet
friends who are expected to arrive.
They are often nuisance to depot
employees as we'll as trainmen, block
ing the platform to such extent as
to be in the way. Such girls are
called girl loafers and certainly they
are such. Self respecting girls
should keep away, but we presume
this article will do little good. Ev-
cry parent, will no doubt say: "This
hasn't reference to our daughter or
daughters. Our girls wouldn't do
anything like that Well, don't be
too sure. Your girl may be the
worst in the bunch. You'd better
know where they are of evenings
and just what they are doing.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1907-07-10

good results that expect to see at
mospheric fertilizer on the market
in this country within the next ten
years.
That such product will soon
be imperatively necessary there is
no doubt. Every ship load of
wheat and corn which goes abroad
leaves the United States SO much
poorer, not in gold. but in nitrogen.
Sir William Cookies, when he
was president of the British Asso-
ciation for the Advancement of
Science, prophesied that in another
quarter of a century the earth would
be drained of nitrogen to such de-
gree that there would be famine in
many regions of the world. lie may
have taken too discouraging view
OF the subject. but nevertheless his
statement had a true basis of fact.
AT the present time the bulk OF
the worlds supply of nitrogen comes
from the saltpetre beds of South
America, but these are being dug up
so fast it will not be very long be-
fore they will be exhausted.
Another scientific discovery which
expect to see before l die" contin-
ued the man whose own inventions
have done 80 much to revolutionize
modern life, lis the direct genera
ton of electricity from coal. This
has already been achieved in an ex-
perimental way. l have heard OF
several men who have done it. /
myself have generated an electrical
current by burning carbon and
Chilean saltpetre together in an
electrolite, although at an expense
which made the process CONNER.
cial impossibility.
Imagine what will be the conse-
quences. Then locomotives will be
thrown into the scrap heap. All
traine will be run by electricity.
No longer will coal be laboriously
transported to the cities, but there
will be great power plants estab-
lished at the mouths of the mines,
from which the electricity will be
sent out oyer the country by wire.
There will be no horses in the
streets, no stables, no flies. Wag-
ons will be propelled by electricity.
Houses will be lighted entirely by
electricity, for it will be SO cheap it
can be used by the humblest tene-
ment dweller.
Ships will no longer be driven
by steam. Electricity will be their
motive power. And then it will be
possible to cross the Atlantic in
three days.
AT the present time nine-tenths
of the power obtained from coal is
lost by the use of boilers, wheels,
lard dynamos. With the direct gen
Ieration of the electrical current,
therefore, the world will have ten
times more energy than now. -
New York American.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1907-07-10
The Old Country Store.

l have shop ,ed in Lou. on. Paris,
Berliu. Edinburgh and Cork.
Honoluli l and Havana.
Boston. Denver ard Sew York,
But delight has 9ever thrilled me
AS 1t did In days of yore.
When bought stick Of candy
At the little country store.
What wealth Of things to coYet
Spread before my youthful eyes.
Painted toys and cheese, and cracker s.
Cali,oes Of gaudy dyes
Everything. from pins to p.asters.
Needed on tins earthly shore.
Was dispense, across the counter
or the quaint old cOuu,r, store.
There it was the village fathers
Gathered to discuss the or ,ps.
Aud the children's Ii l,ardei pennies
Went for gum and lcoriec drops.
Memory brings the gray-haired owner
Clearly to my gaze o;ce more.
Tying up the tea and sugar
In the aim old country Slore
There our mothers used TO weigh.us
On the antiquated scales.
And the village waited weekly
The arrival Of the mails.
On the wall for alto rea1 1t
Hung the sate that held the score.
But the poor were never harried
By the good old country store.
Drugs and food adultetations
Then were tricks as yet uudreamed
And the butter and molasses
Were exactly what they seemed.
Oh. the world would be the better
And more solid at the core,
II its business WAS conducted
Like the dear Old country store.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1907-07-10
A Monument to Her Oath.

In the market place of Devices, u
town in Wiltshire, England, there
stands Il monument erected by public
subscription as Il warning to falsitiers
and irreverent persons. - cominemo-
rate the tragic death of II woman who.
according to the inscripS:ol on the
stone. was stricken dead As Il punish
mcnt for her blisahemy. Ill story. as
told among the country fois. is that
one Of the village women. becoming in.
volvcd in dispute over lnoney with n
merchant in the Corn EXc,.als,".. ca!le,l
on the Almighty. with Il rc,wl!l oltA.
to strike her dead If her state, eIt was
false. AS she left the nla:.,..::et place o.,
her way home she fell dead upon tn
spot where the monument nJw s..,nl,
her perjured gains beng af,c.warl
found In her tightly clincl:el hand.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1907-07-10
THOMAS EDISON pRopnEs1Es.
He Says the day is Coming When the
air Will Fertilize the Depleted
Earth,

Thomas A. Edison gave the Amer
ican yesterday the first interview
since his announcement on his Goth
birthday last February that he had
quit the career of a money making
inventor for that of scientist.
For the rest of his life, he says,
he intends to devote all his atten-
ton to scientific problems without a
thought of whether or not their SOL
ution would bring financial gain.
Though the Wizard guarded as a
secret this particular task on which
he is at present expending his
thought and energy, he otherwise
spoke freely of his work. He dis
cussed many of the mysteries into
which he was delving, and proph-
esied that even though he might
fail of solution, he firmly believed
others would triumph where he had
failed.
Mr.. Edison, for example, made the
prediction that before long science
would enable the farmer to enrich
his lands by means Of nitrogen from
the air.
"The elements necessary for max
ing land fertile" he said, lis nitro.
gen, which exists in almost mex,
haustible quantities in the atmos
phere. Until recently, however, the
utilization of atmospheric nitrogen
was regarded as merely a laboratory
demonstration. Business men sale
it could never be obtained chear
enough to sell to the farmer fol
fertilizer.
"But the day is just about te
dawn when the air will be made tt
give its nitrogen to the earth, and te
make it yield more abundant har
vests and fatter herds of cattle. Ii
Norway a plant has been established
which has been conducted with suct
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1907-07-10
Where Alfalfa Is Grown.

When preparing to venture in alfal-
ia production, one naturally feels
like knowing something of the soil
where alfalfa does best. En-
thusiasts claim it will grow on al
most any kind of soil and experts
claim that it will grow only on GER
tain soils and in certain climates.
Whatever of the truth may be found
in these thoughts it is quite true
that it has proven its adaptabili ty
to almost all climates and nearly
all soils, 1t produces with rain
fall as skant as fourteen inches, and
in the gulf states it Aourishes with
sixty five inches. Itgives crops at
an elevation of 5000 feet above the
level of the sea, and in southern
California it grows below the level,
and to an enormous growth and
produces as many as nine cuttings.
Originally grown in Asia, it has
gone out over the world, to Austrail-
ia, to the islands of the sea and to
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1907-07-10
LOW NECK CLAIMS.
A Joke That Met Man Who Had a
Feeble Sense of Hunor.

Feeble Sense of Hunor.
An ex-governor of Wisconsin, famous
as a story teller, once rejoiced com
pany of friends with an account of his
experience ut New Jersey clambake
At the claInbake there were. plenty of
people who enjoyed the speech Of the
Wisconsin man, but there was one seri-
ons minded listener on whom it fell
fiat.
II started Off" said the * ;yerh"nor
telling the story. by stntin@ tis.i had
eaten SO many of their llw neck CLAIMS
that wasn't in the least sort of eondi-
ton for spcechmaking. At Tat mo.
ment Il long faced old man directly
across the table scowi.si lit re and
said in n stage whisper:
/" Little neck CLAIMS, ltt.c neva5. hot
low necks!'
Il paid no attention 10 him ana went
on with my remarks. After dinner ht
followed me out of the hall.
".You're from Wisconsin. aren':
you:' he asked.
YES answered.
Don't. lave many CLANS out there,
reckon?
"Well,'' l said, we hava some,. but
It's a good way to water, and in driv-.
ing them across the country their feet
get sore and they don't thrive very
WE'LL, ~ 80.
why, man alive said she,s sclams
haven't any feetv
Soon after that lie buttonholed one
Of my friends.
"'Is that fellow governor of wiscon-
sinY he demanded.
My friend admitted that I was.
"Waal,' said he, 'p'r'aps he may be
smart enough man for Wisconsin.
but he's good deal of n fool at the
.SeNshorev"
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1907-07-10
TESTED HIS LIBERALlTY.
And the Host In Turn Tested Hi
Guests GenercsitY.anthfl

HIlo Ate tloSS III iuTn 6SEeu lis
Guests Genercsity.fEiYf
A rather parsimonious gentleman got
the better OF some of his acquaintance,
who We're continually FOSTERING him
about his niggardliness Goaded to
desperation by their taunts. he one day
invited his detractors to dinner
When they made their appearance they
were simply astonished at the magniti-
cence of the treat provided Apologies
were rendered, and the miserly individ-
ual was warmly complimented as well.
Nov. gentlemen" said the host when
acknowledging their compliments, .you
have put my liberality to test. am
going to try your generosity. know
poor man who is very much in need
of financial help through untoward cir
cumstances and propose to raise a
subscription in his behalf See, l COM
mence the list with 10 shillings. Will
you help?'
Needless to say every one subscribed
literally, as no one cared to be thought
more close fisted than the host, who,
when he had collected all the money,
coolly said:
Il thank you, gentlemen. for your
sympathy, and now l think we are
quits. You have paid both for your
joke and your dinner. 1t was l who
required the money. ey."-London Mail.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1907-07-10
A Few Twists.

Some sabctha girls once made up n
list of definitions of Kansas towns, the
names of the towns to be guessed from
the definitions. Here they are: Very
bowlegged, Great Bend; thin monas-
terry, Abilene; the price of yeast, Leav-
enworth; why Mrs. Smith Went, Smith
Center; descendant of sneeze, Atchi.
son; sire, circle and Il term in sing
ing, Paola; what the American needs
to secure duke, Price; what some
folks have to do for a living, Russell;
my first not wearing the second, got
the third, Manhattan. = Kansas City
Star.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1907-07-10
Terror Of the Auto.

A prominent farmer told the
writer the other day that the road
drag was doomed in his neighbor-
hood. He lived on four mile strip
of road that was first leveled by the
King road drag in this township.
1t has for three years been kept as
smooth as floor. Motorists all
over the country know this road,
and the moment they hit it they try
their speed. Forty miles an hour
is about the limit. Farmers who
have been caught on this road have
been compelled to pull out to the
fence, unload their families and
take the chance of their teams get
ting away from them when these
machines came by at rate faster
than a passenger train. The farm
ers enjoyed this road and took pride
in it, but when it was monopolized
by the autos they concluded their
labors had been all in vain. This
season there will be no road drags
to smooth its surface, and the farm
ers are in hopes that motor speed
will be reduced enough SO they can
60 and come from town without fear
of their lives and that of their fam
lilies. This farmer remarked that
there were few motorists that paid
some attention to tho law, but the
majority of them just shoot by and
say nothing. The worst danger is
in the night. There is hardly a
farm horse living that will face one
of these machines after dark. k.-Man-
son Journal.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1907-07-10
An OVERSIGHT.

Look here" exclaimed the angry
man as lie rushed into the real estate
agents office, that ground bought
from You yesterday is thirty feet llnder
water!' ilt5bSH
"Pardon my oversight" #pSlHglZei
the gentlemanly agent I'VE glysa div,
Ing suit with each plot. will send
yours today."-Cardiff Times.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1907-07-10

The bookkeeper of sportsmen's
publication received Il letter one day
from an old subscriber stating that he
had long read 1t with interest and was
aware that 1t was time to renew his
subscription, but did not wish to do
so, as lie would not need 1t in the fu-
ture. 1t was not noticed that the post
mark was that Of town in which Il
state prison is located, but the post
script was eloquent. 1t said, 'P. s.
/ am to be hanged next week."
The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1907-12-23
ALMOST A CENTARIAN
Death Of VIM Chaffee Of Eden Who Would
Have Been 90 in March.

Eden, Dec. l9.-William Chaffee
died last night at the home of his
daughter, Mrs William Whittemore In
this town. The funeral will be held at
10 o'clock tomorrow morning at the
house and burial will be in Lowell.
Had Mr. Chatfee lived until next
March he would have been 80 years
old. His wife died about two years
ago, aged 81 years. Probably Mr. and
Mrs Chaffee at that time were the old
est married couple In the state.
Mr. Chaffee had been in poor health
for about year but had been able to
be about the house until few days
ago He had retained his faculties to
a remarkable degree. He was born in
Lyme, n. H., but had lived 10 Lowell
and Eden the greater part OF his life.
He is survived by one son, Jackson
Chaffee OF Stowe and three daughters,
Mrs Whittemore, with whom he lived,
Mrs Henry Tillottson of MorrisviIle
and Mrs W. 4 Thompson of Spring
field, Mass.
The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1907-12-23
WITNESS IN DRUCE
CASE SET FREE
BECAUSE ILL
Robert Caldwell Allowed To Go
TO His Home.
LIVES ON STATEN ISLAND
Doctors Declare Him To Be Seriously
and Perhaps Fatally ill-Anested
On Arrival.

NEW YORK, Dec. 23.-On the
ground that he was a dying man and
so weak physically that he could not
possibly take the advantage Of free
dom to attempt to escape, Robert @.
Caldwell, the discredited witness in the
bruce case, who is wanted for perjury
IN England, was released on $1,000 ball
By United States Circuit Judge HOugh.
Accompanied by his daughter, he
was allowed to go to his home In Stat
en- Island after having been arrested
as soon as the Kaiserin Augusts Vic
tOria landed and then arraigned be-
fore United States Commissioner AL
eXander and later before Judge HOugh.
The action Of Judge H0ugh In re-
leasing man held for extradition on
felony charge is unprecedented, but
after DR.. George Harrison and DR..
Richard E. Shaw agreed in reporting
Caldwell to be dangerously If not NOR
tally i'll Judge Hough announced that
he would accept bail, which was
promptly furnished by Frank J. Cuth-
bertson.
Robert G. Caldwell on Nov. 8 testi-
fed at the Marylebone police court that
he knew the late Duke of Portland,
both as the duke and as I. c. bruce,
at Welbeck abbey and at the Baker
street bazaar He added that he treat
ed the duke at both places for dis
ease of the nose Caldwell further tes-
tilted that in conjunction with the
duke he arranged the mock funeral of
bruce
Caldwell said that at the dukes re-
quest he employed carpenter to make
q coffin, purchased 200 pounds of lead
and put it in the coffin himself. The
funeral occurred on the following day.
When shown two photographs Cald-
well swore that they were photographs
Of the fifth Duke Of Portland in the
character Of T. C. bruce and declared
he had seen the duke wear n false
beard and had seen him take II off.
Caldwell related In detail his story of
his introduction to the Duke of Port
land in 1864 and testified that he re.
ceived presents from the duke aggre-
eating about $4,000, besides the fee of
$4,000 for medical services.
At the hearing of the case on Dec
Is counsel for the prosecution an
nounced that the prosecution decided
not to rely on the evidence given by
Caldwell, as suspicious had been
aroused during the cross examination
of the witness. On the following day
1t was discovered that Caldwell had
suddenly left London. A warrant for
his extradition was issued at the Bow
street court on Dec. 16 on charge of
perjury.
Caldwell is resident of New York,
having home on Staten Island.
The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1907-12-23
VERMONT MARBLE co. FIRE
Store in Center Rutland Destroyed Early
This Morning.

Rutland, Dec q. Fire which start
ed from an unknown caused destroyed
the store CT the Vermont Marble Co.
at Center Rutland early this morning.
The building was valued at $4,000 TO
1000 and the stock at Sl5, 900 to $780,
600. The store and Its contents we're
burned and II Is expected that the
insurance will cover about two thirds
of the loss.
The business was managed by E. 8.
Slade who is also postmas ter and the
postoffice was also In the store. All
the government property was In safe
and 1t is thought none was destroyed,
The building was in flames when the
fire was discovered by the night
Waterman OF the company. There is
no fire department in the village but
at O'Clock the department Of Rutland
was called to save the school house
which stands about rs feet from the
store and the building was saved.
The store building was one of the
landmarks Of the village and was
built for Methodist church. 1t was
sold to the marble company about
twenty years ago. The company has
rented another building and will re-
open the store as soon as possible.
The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1907-12-23
BIG FLEETS FIRST
STOP IS TO Be
PORT OF SPAIN
Evans Squadron Heading For
Island of Trinidad.
NEXT STOP WILL BE RIO.
Christmas Festivities Of Officers and
Men VIII Be In Old Port OF
Spain Harbor.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 23.-Wireless
reports from the Pacific battleship feet
place it as steaming south in the
Caribbean sea toward Trinidad, Brit
ish West Indies, its first place OF call.
On Christmas eve the battleship feet
expects to drop anchor of the Port of
Spain and complete the first leg Of the
impressive voyage to the Pacific.
In that ancient little port 1900 Off
GERS and men of the armada will cele-
brate Christmas with festivities and
feasting aboard ship for all and shore
liberty for the lucky ones. Tons OF
seasonable good things were laid In
before the fleet left home waters, and
all hands will enjoy a break in the
customary rations of deep sea voyag
ing.
THE programme for the return of the
battleship fleet is matter that has
been discussed among the officials of
the navy department, but as yet no de-
cision has been reached and will not
be for some time to come said Secre-
tary of the Navy Metcalf.
The secretary's remarks were called
out by wireless message from the
flagship Connecticut staff hat Adj
miral Evans had authorized { state
ment as his personal belief tl.at the
navy departments present intel .on
is to have the battleship fleet return
by way of the Suez canal next summer
or fall AS the president, through
Secretary Loeb, previously had spoken
to the same effect, it seems clear that
Admiral Evans statement was not
suggested by any definite move SO far
determined upon by those supreme in
authority.
In naval circles the opinion prevails
that at most only squadron compos-
ed of such vessels as the voyage to
the Pacific shall have demonstrated TO
be ''the pick of the fleet" will be sent
home through the Suez canal, while
the remainder will take the shorter
rout around the Horn. 1t is not like
ly, however, that all sixteen battle
ships will make the return voyage, as
some will be kept in the Pacific.
For five days the ships will lie at
Port of Spain, where the officials and
citizens have arranged an elaborate
programme of entertainment. Three
days will be given up to racing. base
ball, polo and other sports. A recep-
ton and ball will be given at Govern
ment House, and numerous public and
private functions will be held in honor
of the visitors.
On Saturday the battleships will
head southwark for the long run down
to Rio, where they are scheduled to ar
rive on Jan. IL for stay Of ten days.
After the first day or two out from
Trinidad probably no word will he had
from the feet until 1t is reported at
Rio, as the ships will have passed from
the zone Of the wireless telegraph.
The torpedo boat notila, less fortunate
than the big ships, will spend Christ
mas eve at sea, being scheduled to
reach Para, Brazil, on Thursday next.
The American torpedo boat fotilla
sailed from Port of Spain for Rio ia
Metro yesterday. The fotilla was de-
layed on account of the late arrival of
the supply ship Arethusa with provi-
sions and other necessary supplies. All
on beard are well.