davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-05-14
Franco-American Soups.

good French style, rcady-made Soup, rreproachabl, quality is an article certain to be of the greatest ser vice to families
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-04-28
ENGLISH POINT OF VIEW.

From the Liverpool Cotton Gazette.
 In America the revulsion of public feel ing against the wild. irresponsible spec ulation which has from time to time been indulged in, finds expression in leg islation which aims at the elimination of futures, and the anti-option bill has al ready passed in six states, including Texas There Is danger of legislation going too far in this direction and doing injury to a system of futures which has passed from being merely convenience. to that of necessity to every class of operator engaged in the cotton industry, from the planter to the manufacturer.
 The common sense and intelligence, however, of Americans can be trusted to sees to it that. in legislating against the abuse of a system. its utility is not de- stroyed, and it certainly seems impossible that the cotton business can be conduct ed without futures markets, in which an adequate hedge is provided for both buyer and seller, by means of which the risks of the rise or fall of the market can be eliminated
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-04-28
Umbrella Sheds and Smoke

The near completion of the Union station in this city will enable all who are not familiar with the innovation of umbrella sheds to appreciate that par ticular blessing. These sheds have taken the place of the vast arched roofs, whose chief function is to hold heat in hot weather and smoke and cinders in all seasons of the year. Un- der the umbrella shed nothing is penned up. All gases escape at once, and so does all superfluous heat, and the shed under which a train stands is as pleasant as outdoor itself The matter of shedding storms is duly at tended to, and the umbrella shed is unmistakably popular wherever 1t has been used. The new Union station at Washington, costing millions, is equipped with umbrella sheds, and so is every other new station of fine pro- portions and well-considered architect ure.
 The managers of our new station acted wisely when they decided to abandon the old-time arched roof and brought in the umbrella she'd The new sheds will be more and more liked the longer they are used. The world "do' move, and railroad architects are not standing wholly still. The umbrella shed is a distinct advance in the inter- est of an atmosphere where cars ar rive and depart unmixed with coal gases or caloric
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-04-28

From the Washington Herald.
 A man who has done as much by his eloquence in the cause of temperance in thIs country as any other man in the history of the republic now lies dying at Los Angeles, Cal. Francis Murphy is his name and for thirty-six years he has been a temperance lecturer. In that period he has addressed 25,OO0 public meetings, travelled over a million miles, and is credited with persuading twelve million people to sign the total abstin- encs pledge. MT. Murphy is an Irish man by birth, but came to this country when young man. For the past thirty years he has made his home at Pitts burg. His temperance crusade a genera tioa ago was known as the Murphy movement" He made his first plea for total abstinence at Portland, Me-, from the same platform from which Neal Dow and Thomas B. Reed pleaded for temper ance His memorable blue-ribbon pro- paganda scored it's first popular success in Pittsburg in 1876 and from there it spread all over the country. Mir. Murphy has performed for temperance in the United States what the Salvation Army has for religion, in that 1t has reached the clements which the ordinary temper ance advocate never reaches in the large cities. few yetrs ago he carried his Murphy movement" to England, where it became as popular and as powerful as it was in this country q generation ago.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-04-28
Hillman Hospital

The acceptance by the Board of Rev enue of Hillman hospital and it's con version at once into a hospital devoted wholly to charity patients, is step in the interest of humanity and real prog ress. No pay patients will be received, and the county will pay all running ex- penses. These expenses will be about $20000 year.
 In so vast population as this coun- ty holds public hospital is a necessity, and it will prove, no doubt a qualification to those who arc compelled to go to it to know 14at the best rooms and the best at tention are not given to pay" pa- tients. The pay" patient will be dis missed at the Hillman hospital, and all the accommodations will be reserved for the unfortunate sufferers of the county who are not millionaires.
 The establishment of the hospital and it's maintenance by successive boards of lady managers has resulted in public hospital, owned and con- ducted by the county. This is an ex- cellent step in the history of the hos pital. It gives the county what it should have, and it lifts from devoted managers load that the people had no right to put on them.
 Let us hope the hospital will be conducted in the best possible manner l-that its physicians will be skillful, and its administration honest-and that the patients who are sent to it will leave it warm friends of the man agement installed by the Board of Rev enue.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-04-28
Sunday Funerals.

Ministers all over the country are dis eouraglng Sunday funerals" said John Gaudln, secretary of the Elmwood com pany. Pastors realize that Sunday funerals force undertakers, cemetery sex tons, liverymen and laborers to violate the Sabbath
 "Alleghany, Pa, Minneapolis, Minn,, and prohibiting Sunday funerals, unless or dered by the board of health in case of death from a contagious disease
 "It has always seemed strange to me to see families delay funeral almost a week. and prolong the sad period after death, in order to have big Sunday funeral. When I see this, it reminds me of custom at a Mobile negro funeral, where the members of the burial associa- ton always wait until Sunday for their funerals, and members parade in line, headed by a brass band and showy ban ners.
 Funeral customs vary with the sections of the country. In the west friends call at the home of the bereaved family and tender their sympathies, but never at tend the funeral unless especially invited. I was In Colorado Springs when a son of the Mayor died. The funeral was very quiet. There were only five carriages in line and this small attendance was from no lack of sympathy. It was simply in accordance with the local custom"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-04-28
Crop Prospects in the South

Our cotton farmers are confronted by the reassuring statements of Pres ident MacCall, who, in his annual ad- dress before the National association of cotton manufacturers, sitting in Boston, declared that the demand for manufactured cotton products is fully abreast of the supply. That supply is crop exceeding thirteen million bales, and the increased spindles of the world are kept busy in spinning and weaving that crop, and yet no surplus of goods appears anywhere. As long as the demand keeps up, said President MacCall. a manufacturer, speaking to and for manufacturers, there need be no apprehension of de- cline in the price of cotton.
 Our cotton farmers have seen a
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-04-28
Uneninu of the Expositian

The birthday of the nation, three hundred years ago last Friday, was duly celebrated by the opening of an exposition near Jamestown. President Roosevelt's speech was the chief open ing event. He reviewed the story of our national growth, and he had the graciousness to speak kindly of the soldiers of the Confederacy. On the soil of Virginia, near waters rendered historic by national events, he could not well have done less. "Oh, my hearers, my fellow countrymen," he said, great indeed has been our good fortune; for as time clears away the mists that once shrouded brother from brother and made each look as through a glass darkly' at the other. we can all feel the same pride in the valor, the devotion and the fealty to- ward the right as it was given to each to see the right, shown alike bw the men who wore the blue and by the pen who wore the gray The son of
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-04-28

shall provide for these bonds by under writing the same and putting into sinking fund so much per year, in pro- portion to the amount of water used, in order to take up the bonds in period of time
 It appears on it's face to be an ex- pensiye proposition, but it Is feasible and looks like. in time, it will be a great thing for Birmingham.
 I am told that Los Angeles, Cal, Is building canal two hundred miles long to furnish water for manufacturing enterprises in that city The proposed one for Birmingham, I understand, is to be only fifty miles long. It looks like a good thing to me. If the city, the county and the state legislature will take the matter up and provide that it shall be properly financed, 1t can be accomp- lished It is a known fact that we must have much more and cheaper water to build up, and to continue the building of great manufacturing enterprises in the Birmingham district
 Objection Is made on the ground that the City of Birmingham cannot afford to issue additional bonds. It may be true. but the county can do so. and these water bonds will be amply secured by the man. ufacturing enterprises which would thus be enabled to get more and cheaper water.
 In this connection, l understand and hope that Mayor Ward in his annual mes sage to be sent to the Board of Alder men next Wednesday will say something about the taxation of property in Bir- mingham. As it is now the rate Is limited to one per cent, The property of the City of Birmingham Is assessed at only twen- ty-two million dollars, consequently the city only derives two hundred and twen- ty thousand dollars annually from prop erty taxation. To meet its expenses it must have at least four hundred and seventy thousand dollars annually and the additional two hundred and fifty thousand dollars is raised from merchants taxes and special privilege taxes.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-04-28
YOUR WALL PAPER.

Fro.a the New I ork Press.
 One of these days the common people, as we'll as the multis, will learn that coIors have great deal to do with enalth and comfort. We have not yet evolved a genius who can tell us all about the effects of the different tints and shades on health and mind but he is sure to come as soon as we can make an opening for him. Who thinks of health when selecting wall paper for a house? Who of the millions who are building homes, whether cottages with 10 or palaces with hate. know that pink has a cheering effect upon invalids? How many know that yellow and red are stim- ulating to the nervous and depressed? Could any tell you that pale blue is an excellent color for bed room, because 1t is sedative and tends to produce sleep? Sage green has tonic effect on the aorta. while violet. lavender and brown shades are invariably depressing.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-04-28

crop of over thirteen million bales marketed at about eleven cents, and tl.ey know the demands of a naked world are increasing yearly. They know, too, that cold, untoward April has damaged and delayed the crop. Replanting is difficult on account of the scarcity of seed, and germination is checked and injured. There are to- day no indications of another thirteen million-bale crop.
 A short crop, combined with an in creased demand for goods, or even with well-maintained demand, would be apt to put all cotton farmers who do make crop in clover. The out look was never better, and our cotton farmers know it. When the cotton growers of the south are prosperous everybody else is happy and the en- tire south proceeds to pay off debts and to make plans for the future.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-04-28
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
EnaIneerlna schools.

The University of Alabama has, in addition to it's school of civil engineering, well organized school of mines and when we erect our s1oo,o0o engineering building the university will enlarge it's work by organizing a school of mechan- ieal engineering" said Prof Edgar B. Kay of Tuscaloosa, in charge of the en- gineering departments already established at the university.
 We intend to make a great feature of our technical instruction. The new building will be equipped with all the modern testing devices and for the stu dents in the mechanical engineering school there will ample opportunities for shop work. It is the purpose of President Abercrombie and the trustees to bring the technological education of the university up to the very highest standard-a stand ara equal to Columbia or Cornell.
 ''The rapid development of the Blr- mingham district increases the demand here for technically trained men and the university is putting itself in position to furnish them"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-04-28
NED BRACE TALKS ABOUT CITY WATER
 AND SOME THINGS NEEDED FOR BIRMINGHAM

Birmingham is. perhaps, the only city in America where the majority of it's revenue is derived from taxation upon the merchants and upon special privileges.
 Now, as a matter of fact, the property in the City of Birmingham on an aver age is hardly assessed at more than ten to fifteen per cent of it's actual mar ket value. The property of the City of Birmingham is worth two hundred million dollars according to the best estimates Of shrewd business men. If this property was assessed at thirty per cent of its market value the city would derive from property taxation six hundred thousand dollars per annum rather than two hun dred and twenty thousand dollars. as at present.
 I happen to know of one piece of prop erty in Birmingham assessed at thirty thousand dollars for which the owner re- fused two hundred thousand dollars cash a IeN WeehS dBO. luGlc diO less instances of this kind. For this city I believe it would be well for the State Board of Tax Commissioners, created by the last legislature, to appoint sub commission or to instruct the back tax commissioner here to assess our real prop erty in the City of Birmingham at thirty per cent of it's actual market value. Such being the case the city government of Birmingham would derive ample means for expenditures and would be in position to do those things necessary to make this the great city of the south. If Birming- ham needs anything it is an equalization of taxation. No man wants to pay more than his neighbor. Consequently under our present system the average assess ment of Birmingham real estate and im- provements thereon, I venture, is lower than any other city of it's size in Amer ica-so low as to be almost absurd
 hope this matter will be taken up viz orously by the proper authorities.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-04-28
NGINEER KAY made a very in
 teresting report yesterday after noon to a committee of the Board

NGINEER KAY made a very in (O) teresting report yesterday after
 - noon to a committee of the Board of Aldermen and citizens connected with the larger manufacturing enterprises here. as to the feasibility of a gravity water supply for manufacturing purposes to reach as far as North Birmingham and from there into Village Creek or into the proposed Van Hoose canal.
 According to his survey the canal can be built by tapping fork of the Warrior River in Blount County and catching the water from a shed of two hundred square miles bringing into Birmingham one hun dred millions gallons of water daily. The supply will be of the purest quality and the total cost of construction of a canal twenty-two feet wide at the surface will be not exceeding one million three hun dred thousand dollars This cost, how ever, merely provides for the building of the canal with it's aqueducts, tunnels and dams necessary for the supplying of the above mentioned quantity of water as far as North Birmingham.
 From North Birmingham 1t will have to be pumped by the manufacturing enter prlses in the City of Birmingham direct or else the city will have to make pro- vision for pumping. Of course, to the west the water will go into Village Creek or the Van Hoose canal if that Is con structed and the enterprises along that line, and especially at Ensley, will get 1t at their very doors, so to speak.
 Of course, this would be of tremendous advantage to the Greater Birmingham The question now is how to raise the money to build it? Several propositions are pending Among them, one that the next legislature shall provide for the ap- pointment of water board by the gov ernor and authorize the county to issue bonds under direction of this board. It IS also proposed that the city should issue bonds and tax the corporations so much per gallon for the use of the water; sufficient amount to pay interest on the bonds and set aside sinking fund. An other proposition is that the corporations
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-04-28
Flowers From PhiIipplnes.

T was interested in a novel flower I saw today on exhibition at seale's,' said citizen.
 Tt is the famous red bush of the Philip pine Islands which is so familiar to all the American soldiers who have seen duty on the islands. The botanical name of the plant is Bouganvilia Glabia Sanderrii, and it Is very ornamental.
 Tt is a sort of hedge almost en- tirely covered by peculiar reddish flowers. It is full of thorns and the hedge grows so thick in the Philippines that 1t is lm- possible to get through it. The specimens on exhibition here are about four feet high and are grown In pots. The plant is very hardy, however. and If it could be controlled it occurs to me that 1t would make a beautiful decorative hedge. It's color is so unusual as to be decidedly striking"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-04-28

both Georgia and New York could not we'll have said less.
 From a review of our history the President passed to the economic troubles of the present time, and he gave the Harrimans of the land little comfort indeed. "The wrongdoer, the man who swindles and cheats" he said. whether on a big scale or lit tie one, shall receive at our hands mercy as scant as if he committed crimes of violence or brutality" There is nothing really new in the Presi- dents speech-it is simply made up of plain American history and doctrine, and it was an excellent opening speech at notable American exposition.
 Representative ships from the lead ing navies of the world are assisting the American flag at the exposition, and more ships will arrive from time to time until the greatest naval dis play the world has ever known will lie in the waters that flow by Jamestown The remainder of the exposition is to- day incomplete, but that has been the story of all previous expositions, and the governing board at Jamestown is confident that by the 18th day of May the exposition will be all that had been expected or had been promised"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-04-28
ozyMANpJAs OF EGYPT,

B. Percy Bysshe Shelley. I met a traveller from an antique land Who said Two vast and trunkless legs
 of stone Stand in the desert. Near them on the
 sand, Half sunk, shatter'd visage lies, whose
 frown An. wrinkled lip and sheer of cold com
 mand Ten that it's sculptor we'll those passions Which yet survive, stamp'd on these life
 less things, The hand that mocKd them and the heart
 that fed: And on the pedestal these words appear: My name is Ozymandias, king of kings: Look on my works, ye Mighty, and
 despair!'' Nothing beside remains. Round the decay Of that colossal wreck, boundless and
 bare, Ths lone and level sands stretch far
 away.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-04-28
Presidents, Secretaries.

.srhe announcement that William Loeb secretary to President Roosevelt, has been chosen president of the Washington Rail- way and Electric company, furnishes the latest evidence of the fact that the White House secretaryship Is a stepping stone to something bigger" remarked gov ernment official. "The evolution of the Presidents secretary began in MT. Cleve- lands first administration, when the late Daniel S. Lamont became almost as prom inent as cabinet officer. Up to that time the private secretary was simply a clerk He had no Individuality, so far as the public knew and his name rare ly appeared in print His salary was s325O a year There was an assistant pri- yate secretary at a salary of s22o0 and the two officials aided by half dozen clerks managed to handle all the routine work of the executive office. There are now two assistant secretaries.
 ''When Benjamin Harrison became President Maj Elijah Halford was ap- pointed private secretary, and like his predecessor, gave dignity to the seere- tariat and kept himself in the limelght. r life appointment -paymaster in the reg ular army with the rank of major. lie was afterwards promoted and retired on three-quarters pay. Lamont was a news paper man by profession, but he devel- oped a turn for large business affairs and was successful in street car opera tions from 1889 until MT. Cleveland was reelected. He was secretary of war from 1893 until 1897 and was at the time of his death vice president of the Canadian Pacific railroad at large salary
 Henry T. Thurber of Detroit was pri- vate secretary to the President through out MT. Cleveland's second term. few months before President Cleveland's re- tirement Congress passed bill changing the title of the private secretary to that of secretary to the President and in creased the salary to s50Oo Mir. Thurber had a lucrative law practice in Detroit and on retiring from the secretaryship re- turned home and resumed practice.
 "President McKinley's first secretary was the late John A. Porter, but he re- signed and George B. Cortelyou was ad- vanced from assistant secretary to his place. Everybody Is familiar with MT Cor telyou's rise. He is now secretary of the treasury. Loeb succeeded him in the White House. ne late John Hay was a private secretary to President Lincoln during war times, but he left the execu- tive and worked his way up gradually in the diplomatic service The secretary to the President as man of conse- quence, began, therefore with Lamont Others simply followed suit so to speak.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-04-28
REFLECTIONS OF A BACHELOR.

From the NeW or Press. survive intimacy.
 Shaving yourself is very good practice at being one of the best swearers.
 One reason man likes to drink is his doctor tells him it's bad for his health.
 A woman likes to dine in a restaurant with her husband so he can't blame her for 1t.
 There's hardly anything in the world excites a woman more than to have somebody call her up on the telephone when she is away and not leave word who 1t was
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-04-28
Business Barometer.

T have never been pessimist," said an iron broker, but when Wall street got panieky few weeks ago l thought I saw a sluggish iron market ahead. The exceptional strength of the market for the past ten days and the enormous buy ing movement at top prices shows that business prosperity is still with ns.
 "The iron trade is great barometer, and it could not well be in stronger condition"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-04-28

DOING WELL ENOUGH. Day by day the worlds improving, Getting better all the time, Armies of reform are moving Meath the skies of every cline. Life is better worth the living, Work Is easier to do, Great philanthropists are giving Money, and good money, too. What's the use of always growing, Talking bout the long ago? Spite of pessimistic bowling
 By the critics, high and low, This old world is still advancing, And it's blooming right along. Hope is in the sunbeam glancing, Joy is coming with a song.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-04-28
JuRYMEN's BALLOTS.
From the Boston Globe.

The way that jurymen's opinions changed. from ballot to ballot. makes one wonder whether a system which comes down to a majority vote on opinions. with a feeling of "Oh, let's get home super added. is the best possible thing for
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-04-28

From the Atlanta Journal.
 If MT. Bryan is for La Toilette and La Toilette for Roosevelt and Roosevelt for Taft, the question is will Bryan rise in the midst of the Nebraska delegation and nominate Taft?