davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-08-18
Poison That Looks Eatable.
n the Philadelphia Bulletin.

From the Philadelphia Bulletin
 Tn our laboratories" said a chemist, i've make q good deal Of cyanide of po- tassium. Men who handle this poison are too often seized with an insane desire to eat 1t.
 "The white and beautiful crystals ex- ercise on the mind strange fascina tion. such as snakes are said to exercise upon small birds Though you know that the stuff is deadly, you feel a horrible long ing to crush a handful of 1t into your mouth.
 And many cases are recorded of men who were unable to resist this awful long ng-happy, prosperous and young men found dead in the laboratory beside gilt terng white heap of cyanide of potassium crystals.
 Hence in many chemical works the men are strictly forbidden to enter the cyanide house alone"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-08-18

Although this petition was supported by all the prominent Americans, it was merely acknowledged by the department of state at Washington, who promised that the matter would receive attention.
 Where so many Americans are gathered , together baseball Is not forgotten. There are two excellent hines in Johannesburg and Pretoria, and play of a high order Is to be seen on the local grouds on almost all holidays, which in this easy going country are extremely frequent. With the usual sporting proclivities which seem atmospheric in South Africa, con- siderable money changes hands after the games.
 Nor are the national festivities forgot teA. Independence day Is kept up with the zeal and vim habitual to all those who claim citizenship of the greatest republic on earth. No self-respectlng American does any work on that day, be he manager, miner or merchant. Sports. receptions, and social gatherings are the order of the day.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-08-18
AMERICANS IN THE TRANsvAAL
Citizens of the United States FIJI I'm portant Posts In Mining Industry.

From the New York Evening Post.
 Johannesburg, Transvaal-In tho new British colony of the Transvaal Qate South African republic). there are 2o0o American residents Of these, about 1900 are on the Witwatersrand gold fields, which embrace Johannesburg, the me- tropolis of South Africa, and of whose population they form a considerable sec- ton.
 "The Rand" as 1t is now generally called, was opened in 1866, and the iis- covery of gold in payable quantity caused an enormous rush of emigrants from all parts of the world, including many Amer jeans, among whom were not a few old 49ers. The mines were developed with great rapidity and success. and are now producing annually more than 130 million dollars worth of raw gold metal. Experts say that this Is but a tithe of the min er.I wealth of the Transvaal, and that billions of dollars worth of gold bearing reef has yet to be opened up.
 These gold fields are naturally the chief attraction for the foreign population, and it speaks volumes for the technical and scientific training received in the United States that by far the greater majority of the chief officials of the various min ins- groups such as consulting, mining an. mechanical engineers and the general maagers of may of the leadig mines, are Americans; while among the skilled me- chanics, artisans, and miners are many who claim their birthplace under the Strrs and Stripes.
 By far the greater bulk of the Amer ican population Is In or near Johanes- burg. and some time ago petition sign- ed by more than thousand was sub- mitted to the authorities at Washington urging the transfer of the consulate from Pretoria to Johannesburg, where there is at present only an unpaid United con- sular agent. An American having busi- ness to trasact with his consulate has fc proceed to the former place, entailins much unnecessary cost and loss of time
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-08-18

fore this date. The scheme to be adopt- ed in Massachusetts will doubtless in- volve protection to those who purchase annuities by instalment payments, so that If for some reason, as on account of ill., ness or loss of work, the payments have to be discontinued the annuity will have a surrender value just as a life policy would in similar circumstances. These matters were provided for in general terms in the act recently drawn up by Louis D. White. secretary of the Massa- ehusetts Savings Insurance League. Tho essential point is that for the first time the workers of an American state arc to have an opportunity, under careful supervision of lne commonwealth to eff feet their own old age pensions.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-08-18
JAPANESE ARE NOT WORRIED OVER WAR CoIoniStS in Texas Hoot at the
 Suggestion THRIFTY AND INDUSTRIOUS There Are About 50o Japanese Col onists In the Lone Star State.
 Engage In the Culture
 of Rice.
THRIFTY AND INDUSTRIOUS
BY w. D. HORNADY.

Webster Texas, August 1.-The Japa- nese coonists in Texas are not worried over the possibility of war between the United States and their native country, When one of them can be induced to talk on the subject at all he hoots at the sug- gestion of war. o. Takayma, who is at the head of a Japanese colony at Deep water, five miles from Webster, made this proposition when question as to the war prospects:
 If war is declared between my country and the United States at any time withia the next ten years l will suffer my head to be delivered to you on a platter"
 MT. Takayama is in constant corrss- pondence with high officials of the Japa- nese government. It was through his ef- forts that many of his people were at tracted to Texas where they are engaged for the most part in rice farming. He has the support of his government in tf1s colonization movement, and 1t is, intact, largely a government plan that he is car rying out. Ther are probably five hun dred Japanese colonists in Texas. The principal colonies are located at Deep water Webster Wharton and Victoria. A number of Japanese rice farmers are also located along the line of the Southern Pacific between Houston and Beaumont. The people of Texas have TO complaint to make of the Japanese farmers as citizens. They have proved to be hard working enterprising and honest develop CTS of the region where they are located. They are adopts at rice farming. At the Deepwater colony the Japanese method of transplanting rice has been followed for the last two years with greatest sue cess and profit.
 The rice harvesting season is now In progress and the scene in the Japanese colonies is an animated one from carry morning until late at night. They con duct the harvesting work on the cooper ative plan much the same way as wheat harvesting is carried on in the Middle states of the north. The farmers of a neghborhood join forces and help each other thresh the crops on the different farms The Japanese make holiday out of the work.
 A noticeable thing about the Japanese is that he never loses his patriotism for his native country. The Japanese flag oc- cupies a position of honor in whatever work he may be engaged It may be seen flying upon the threshing machines while the threshing work Is in progress It is frequently planted upon some ele-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-08-18
Tables of Mortality.

Dewitt, who had become interested Tn speculations then current regarding prob abilities in games of chance, was the frst to establish for philanthropic purposes tables of mortality, based on the regis ter of births and deaths in Dutch par ishes. He wrote and presented to the states general of his nation treatise on life annuities' in which were laid down practically all the principles now in use. His was really a remarkable achievem snt. Most of the other mathematcians of the age-like the gentle and pious Pascal were engaged in the less humanitarian task of discovering by what calculations thev could break the bank at dice or cards Some time after DeWitfs tragic death at the hands of an ungrateful popu- lace. others developed the details or ms scheme. Among them. 1t is well remem- berad. was the French philosopher. Con- dorcet. who proved by mathematical tables that the human race would soon be perfect and immortal. He committed suicide. unfortunately, before he had H. frustrated his own theory
 Throughout the eighteen century, when philosophical and practical designs TOT inc benefit of humanity were popular, mathematicians were perfecting the ar rangements by which annuities could De issued. Soon associations begun to handle them as a business or a oenencent charac- fer The "Laudable Society of London
 for the beneft of widows" was begun in 17e1 while the London Annuity Society was established in 1765. Throughout Great Britain voluntary annuity associations were formed, many of which have lasted down to this day. Part of the work tt the ideal savings institution, as outlined ,n 1907 by Samuel Whitbread, the whig reformer, was to provide annuities on Ia
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-08-18
The Plan of a Society.

The Plan of a Society. Speculations and practices regarding annuitles spread even to this country. Among the bibliographical treasures of the Boston Public Library is
 The Plan of a Society for
 Making Provision for Widows by Annulties for the Remaoder of Life
 and
 for Granting Annuities to Persons after Certain Ages with the
 Proper Tables for Calculating What Must Be Paid by the Several Members In OrSer to Receive the Said Advantages
 By William Gordon Boston Sold by Joseph Edwards and
 John Fleming
 MDCCLXII
 This book contains not little homely philosophy of life-of the kind the author of Poor Richards Almanac" must have approved and a lot of disagreements with the mortality tables used in Great Britain. The census of Massachusetts ordered by Lieutenant-Governor Hutch inson is used to illustrate the authors points. Renewed interest in this whole subject of the annuity is predicted in this country as a result of the general establishment of "savlngs and insurance banks All though rates, based on specific tables or mortality, must obviously be prepared by a state actuary 1t is possible to show in a general way how easily an individual
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-08-18
vated spot in the fields where the little brown men may be working.

The Japanese colonists in Texas have many thousands of acres in rice this year. The yield will be heavy and the profits from the crop very large. The home life of the members of the Webster and Deep water colonists Is very similar to that which they led In Japan. They attend strictly to their own affairs and seem to be interested more in their farm work than anything else. The older colonies have been so successful that the estab- lishment of a number of others is con templated. A number of Japanese bought several thousand acres of land near Wharton last spring and established colony of about fifty Japanese thereon. They rapidly developed the virgin land into the most attractive rice farms Tn South Texas. They had in more than 5000 acres of rice this year. They were amply supplied with money from the start and extensive and costly improvements have been made, including an up-to-date system of irrigating canals and ditches, buildings, rice warehouse, etc. They used traction engines to break up their land, and the cultivation of the rice crop was done with the most modern farm imple- ments Their industrious and law-abiding ways have won for them the respect If the people of that section
 The Japanese Farming company was or BdIlZbQ of $2O0,OO0 for the purpose of establishing a colony of Japanese near Victoria. The company Is composed of Japanese. The colony Is in flourishing conce>ron, and will harvest large crop of rice this year.
 Some of the Japanese farmers are in troducing native fruits and vegetables into Texas Y. Myuma, who has large farm near Fannette, planted large acreage or Japanese melons as an experiment thls summer. The melons thrived wonder fully, and he has an abundant harvest of them. The melons are now ripe and have been placed upon the markets at Beaumont and Houston. They attract much attention by their peculiar appear ance. They are more on the order of a cantaloupe as to taste and size, but no dne would judge them to be either watermelon or a cantaloupe by their ap- pearance. MT. Myuma claims that this section is well adapted to raising many kinds of Japanese fruits and vegetables
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-08-18

can pension himself under the annuity system. Suppose man of thlrty-fve caring the good wages that are universal in this era of prosperity carries perhaps a little life insurance that affords present protection for his family. But his chill dren are already growing up. What he has most seriously to consider henceforth Is not the chance of early death, but how not become a burden to others after the productive years are over; for men wear ont early in this efrennnna aRa
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-08-18
To Buy Annulties.

Whether American wage-earners will buy annuities at the lowest possible price from the savings banks which they have patronlzed to the extent of $3. 4S2 19S is what is to be tested in Massachusetts. The problem Is to discover If any consider able number of people are willing to do their duty by themselves and their fam lies without being led to do so by per suasive agent. Under the law the banks are not to employ solicitors to sell either annuities or policies. The business will be strictly lover the counter.' There will, however, doubtless be no reasons why the advantages of this plan of voluntary old age pensioning should not be set forth in the form of such advertising as these in stitutions do in the local press.
 If successful, the scheme will carry out in the United States ideas which have be- longed to the conception of the annuity from the beginning. The mathematics of the arrangement by which a sum of money, either in single payment or series of payments, can be so applied at compound interest as to produce annual payments of a fixed amount during the remaining life time of an average indi- vidual was first worked out by no less parsonage than the grand pensionary of Holland, John Dewitt, the statesman, who so often led the Dutch to victory against the English.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-08-18
Contract With Banks.

Such a man, earning, say, thirty or thrty-ive dollars a week, might contract with three savings banks for deferred" annuities of Sl00 each. to begin when he is fifty. That would mean that for the remainder of his life after that age he would have an annual pension of sS00. The exact cost of such protection during old age in an American community cannot be stated. That will have to be determined by state aetuary under the new savings insurance plan. Based, however. on tho classic English tables. the mans annual contribution between the ages of 90 and 90. in order to effect the purchase of these three annuities of $l00 each, would amount to about $lS0-by no means an im- possible saving for man earning $500 or more. And in no other way-unless through the accident of lucky speculatons could wage earners savings be made to yield for him so large an incomes; available at just at the time of life when he is most likely otherwise to become de- pendent upon the charity of relatives. Many other forms of annuity besides the foregoing are, of course, possible. Some involve payment of a lump sum at the date from which the pensioning pay ments are made; others of a lump sum
 to be put on compound interest years be-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-08-18

vorable terms. Eminent mathematielans. like the Rev. Dr. Price, gave time and study to the theory of 'reversionary pay ments." In British life. as every reader of English novels learns, the annuity has long been very important feature.
Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1907-01-25
INCREASES SALARIES
HOUSE ADOPTS AMENDMENT TO
THE LEGISLATIVE APPRO-
PRlATION BILL.

Washington, Jan. 19.-By 4 rising
vote of 1873 TO- 90 the house adopted an
amendment to the legislative. execu-
tive and judicial appropriation bill.
which was taken from the speakers
table with senate amendments, in
creasing the salary Of the vice presi-
dent, the speaker, the members of the
cabinet to $4,000 per year, and those
Of senators and representatives, dele.
gates from territories and the resident
commissioner from Porto Rico to
$500 per year, the increase to take
effect March 4, 1907.
Effort was made to have a roll call,
but only thirty-four members arose,
which was not sufficient number, so
that the house was relieved OF the
necessity of going on the record.
An urgent deficiency bill was passed
carrying total of $344,650.
The house then went into committee
of the whole to consider bills on the
private calendar reported from the
committee on claims. Fifty of sucn
bills were passed and two were laid
on the table.
Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1907-01-25
THEIR AID REFUSED
AMERICAN SAILORS ORDERED TO
QUIT KINGSTON By GOV.
ERNOR SWETTENHAM.

New York, Jan. 21.-The feature OF
the days news from Kingston. Ja-
maica, is the declination of Sir James
Alexander Swettenham, the governor
Of jamaica, to accept American aid
and the departure, in consequence, OF
the American warships under COM
mand of Rear Admiral Davis.
Swettenham's action appears not to
have met the views Of the people and
city officials of Kingston. It is re-
ported that the city council met after
the incident became known, promptly
disapproved the English governors
action and not only sent a letter of
regret to Rear Admiral Davis, but
asked him to reconsider his decision
to leave and to remain with the Amer
lean ships. as every aid was still
urgently needed.
Davis replied that he had no alter
native but to go in accordance with
the desires of the constituted authori-
ties.
English newspaper comment on the
incident is unanimous in regretting
the occurrence and in expressing the
hope that the good relations existing
between TIE United States and Great
Britain will not be endangered thereby.
Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1907-01-25
LATEST ESTIMATE OF THE MUM.
Der OF VICTIMS OF KING
STON EARTHQUAKE.
FOOD AND MEDICAL SUPPLIES SCARCE
RELIEF SHIPS HURRYING TO Thu
STRICKEN CITY FROM vARi.
Gus DIRECTIONS.

New York, Jan. 19.-News from
Kingston, Jamaica, is still filtering In
slowly and is twenty.four hours late,
but the worst is now apparently
known. The town itself is a wreck,
very few of the houses standing re-
naming habitable and the populace Is
living in the open. Food and medical
supplies continue scarce. but relief
ships are hurrying to the stricken city
from many quarters SO that there will
soon be an alienation in this respect.
The death list is probably about 700
and the seriously injured. In hos
pitfalls, number in the neighborhood OF
500. Many others who were injured
are being cared for at their temporary
homes.
Progress is being made in clearing
away the debris. Dynamite is resort
ed to in clearing away menacing ruins.
Good order prevails in the city. Ad-
miral Davis, who is in the harbor with
the battleships Missouri and Indiana,
was called on for help In the work OF
policing the city and he promptly re-
sponded by landing marines. These
sea soldiers are now picketing the
streets and assisting the British au-
thorit1es in the maintenance of order.
American aid has been timely in
this hour of trouble to a British pos.
session and the dispatches agree it is
warmly appreciated by the stricken
DeODl0.
Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1907-01-25
RAN BY THE SIGNALS
ENGINEER BLAMED FOR DlSAS'
TROUS WRECK ON THE BIG
FOUR RAILROAD.

Kankakee, ILL.,, Jan. 19.-Twenty
persons are believed to have been
killed or burned to death in the wreck
of passenger train No. %, eastbound,
at Fowler, Ind, at 2 o'clock a. m. The
wreck occurred on the Big Four road,
the passenger train running into a
freight train. The cause of the COL
ision is said to be that the engineer
on the passenger train failed to see
the block signals. Fire followed the
collision, adding horror to the wreck,
and it is believed that more passen-
gers were burned to death than were
killed by the collision. There were
twenty-five passengers in the COM
bination day coach and baggage car
and only five of them escaped alive.
The passenger train consisted OF
three Pullmans, private car Of Vice
President Schaff Of tho Big -Four and
a combination day and baggage coach.
Some of the passengers In the Pull
mans and private car were injured.
but none killed. None of the freight
crew were injured.
Owing to the dense fog the sngi-
neer of the Big Four flyer was unable
to see the light on the semaphore.
which directed him to stop, as a west
bound freight had the right of way.
The train dispatcher, knowing that
the dense fog would prevent the train
men from seeing the block signal,
went outside and waved his lantern
frantically and fired at least half
dozen shots from his revolver, but the
trainmen went crashing by with their
train and a moment later the crash
came. The tender of No. % telescoped
the baggage car, the rear end of the
tender cutting through to within ten
feet of the rear Of the smoker.
Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1907-01-25
CREST OF FLOOD REACHED.
Ohio River at Cincinnati at 4 Stand
still.

Cincinnati, Jan. 21.-The Ohio river
at this point has stood at 65.1 feet for
several hours and it is believed that
the end of the flood is in sight and
that possibly the river may go no
higher. It will recede very slowly,
however, the immense body of water
below here holding back the food and
the losses and suffering viii continue
for some time.
Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1907-01-25
DIFFICULT 10 JUSTIFY.
london Press Condemns Language OF
Governor Swettenham.

london Press Condemns Language Of
Governor Swettenham.
London, Jan. 21-Referring to the
withdrawal of the American warships
rom Kingston the Pail Mall Gazette
says that the Language employed by
Governor Swettenham would be diff
cult to justify in almost any circum-
stances" At the same time tho paper
says it thinks lit is possible that
pra1seworthy desire to do his utmost
IN the cause of humanity pushed Ad-
m1ral Davis beyond the necessities Of
the case and led him to encroach too
Tar on the sphere of British author
ity."
The Pail Mall Gazette assumes that
both the governor and the admiral
were animated by the best Of motives,
expresses the opinion that "the abnor-
NAL conditions preclude their conduct
being judged by ordinary standards"
and adds:
"Englishmen' certainly do not wish
the misunderstanding to be magnifled
In any sense of pique and the Amer
lean public ought to be broad minded
enough to regard it with the same
charitable disposition"
The Westminster Gazette says there
can be nothing but regret at the fact
that any difficulty has arisen between
Admiral Davis and Governor swetten.
ham and, while awaiting fuller ex-
PLANTATION, adds:
I'm the meantime tho United States
can be assured that we In this country
deeply appreciate the generous, sym.
pathetic WY in which its citizens VOL
unteered assistance to the British
colony"
Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1907-01-25
HURRICANE AT BUFFALO.

Killed Four Persons and Damaged
Much Property.
Buffalo, N. Y, Jan. 22.-The hurrt-
cane that swept the Niagara frontier
has subsidized and a more extended es-
timation of the damage to shipping
lowers the original estimate. At the
port of Buffalo alone, however, it will
be about 100000.
The death list totals four. Three
persons were killed in the collapse Of
buildings and another was drowned.
Lines of transportation and COM
munication have been restored.
The United States government sus-
ta1ns loss of from 100000 to $780,
900 from destruction of breakwaters.
Much of the governments equipment
used in the harbor work was sunk.