davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1907-07-27
Do We Want Immortalitv7

Where among the educated and the
refined. much less among the masses,
do we find any ardent desire for fu-
ture life: 1t is not subject Of draw
ing room conversation, and the man
whose habit it is to buttonhole his ac-
Qualntances and inquire earnestly aft
er their souls is stunned like the An
clent Mariner Among the clergy it Is
not thought polite to refer to so deli
cate topic except officially from the
pulpit. Most omnous of all, declares
DR.. William Osler in his book on "Sci-
ences and Immortality" as indicating
the utter absence of interest on the
part of the public is the silence Of the
press, In the columns of which are
manifest daily the works Of the flesh.
Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1907-07-27
Man That Made New York Laugh.

1t is a we'll known saying In New
York that the police department will
"break" any man who undertakes to
be its head. From having been the
target of the most rancorOus criticism,
the police commissioner is generally
dropped from office into deeper obscur-
ity than that from which he rose. The
place is Stunned by clever politicians
as q sort of graveyard Of opportunity.
There are two exceptions TO this rule.
One has become president Of the
United States, and the Other-Mr. Dew
cry. The latter was charged with all
kinds of malfeasance. He was even
removed from office, but was rein
stated by the courts. Yet there was a
coarse vein of humor in the man that
went far toward redeeming his short
comings He amused the city, and she
liked him for it. She can always for
give one who makes her laugh. Think
Of a man, while courts are busy ana
lying one phase of his character, rls-
ing up as a candidate for mayor and
stormlng a state political convention
at Saratoga with an irrepressible brass
band playing Mister Dooley!-Broad-
way Magazine.
Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1907-07-27
rCN1-
SEA RATS.
Piles Of Timber Shaped Like q Cigar
as Big as an Ocean Steamer.


Sea RATS, which are peculiar to the
Pacific ocean, made Of timber for pill
ing and for telegraph poles, are shaped
like cigar and are Of enormous size.
The timber is cut in Washington and
Oregon and until recently was shipped
to central and southern California III
sailing vessels and steam bargeS. The
expense and the limited capacity of
these vessels led to the designing of
the sea RATS.
While they are Of different sizes, the
smallest usually contains at least 5000
pieces of timber ranging from eighty
TO hundred feet In length and from
eight inches to nearly two feet In
diameter at the butt. Consequently
some of the RATS made in this peculiar
fashion are nearly as long as the lar
gest transatlantic liners, measuring no
less than $50 feet from end to end.
So compactly are the poles arranged,
says a writer in the Southwest, that
the greatest diameter Is not more than
sixty feet, but the enormous weight Of
the wood forces raft down in the wa
ter until the highest portion is rarely
more than ten feet above the surface.
To fasten such a raft so that 1t will
withstand the force of the seas to
which il Is exposed no little engineer
ing skill is required. AS the cigar
shape offers less resistance to the force
Of the waves than any other, this has
been adopted.
To move this unwieldy bulk two
powerful steamers are usually employ
ed at sea. one for pulling directly
ahead and the other to aid in keeping
the raft in the right course, especially
In rough weather. But comparative
ly small portion Of the surface Is ex-
posed to the seas. Otherwise 1t would
be impossible to transport the timber
In this form.
On the other hand, the depth In the
water allows only a very slow rate Of
speed to be maintained. The average
time required between the Columbia
river and San Francisco, for example,
$50 miles, is from ten to fifteen days,
according to the weather.
The Columbia river RATS are put to-
gether at town called Stella, which
Is located in the lumber country about
forty miles from the mouth Of the
river. These RATS are the largest
which have yet been transported down
the coast
One which was sent to San Fran
cisco contained no less than 100000
linear feet Of lumber to be used for
wharf piling If the piles which 1t
contained were stretched in row
they would actually extend distance
of nearly fifteen miles.
The majority of these RATS have
been safely taken to their destinations
although one or two have gone to
pieces. Where such accidents have &C.
Cured the mass Of timber has covered
the ocean for distance Of many miles
and has formed a very dangerous men,
ace to navigation.
For this reason an effort has been
made by other transportation COM
panies to have a law passed in the
states Of Washington and Oregon pre-
venting the building Of the sea RATS
on the ground that they are a menace
to navigation. Thus far the agitators
of this movement have been unsuc.
cessful.
Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1907-07-27

81 counted seven girls taking down
my sermon In shorthand Sunday morn
ing" said suburban minister. Il am
getting tired Of this business Of turn
ing church into school 1t is a desecra-
ton of the Sabbath and of the sanctu-
airy, and it gets worse year by year.
"When the thing first began, l admit
that | was flattered. I thought the SOL
itary shorthand writer in my front
pew was a reporter. took unusual
pains that morning, and ] searched all
the newspapers the next day-in vain,
Of course. The shorthand writer was
merely student of stenography, using
me to practice on.
students Of stenography should
practice on actors and on lecturers.
But no, that would cost money. Moth
ing suits them but ministers, and every
Sunday all over our land young men
and women, with their pads and foun-
tain pens, go to church solely to i'm
prove their shorthand. York
Press
Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1907-07-27
When Hill Got Mad.

Ordinarily one Of the quietest men IN
the world, James ]. Hill has, when I'M
duly provoked, a temper that would
blast all in his way. st. Paul still tells
with glee the story Of an occasion
when, maddened by the persistent bad
service of the Bell Telephone company
there, he tore its instrument from the
wall, threw it out into the back yard
and kicked 1t to pieces. On another &C.
casion when, according to his notion,
things were going all wrong in the
Great Northern offices, he made a
tourney of improvement" that is still
remembered with a shudder. He went
from department to department, kick
ing open the doors as he Travelled and
sending the unfortunate employees,
from the heads Of bureaus TO office
boys, in terrorized fight before him.
One door resisted because Of a desk
that stood in front of it on the other
side. He shattered the door into splin-
tiers. and the desk when he got through
with it was a wreck.-Paul Latzke in
Eyerybody's
Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1907-07-27
BEYOND THE GRAVE.
Victor Hlso's Views on the Question
of Future Life.


Victor Hugos opinion on the ques
ton of life beyond the grave was
remarkable one. The great French
man was firmly convinced that he
would meet all his friends In future
world. He was equally sure that he
had always existed from the ante
diluvian times, when the Creator plac-
ed him on earth. He believed that he
would exist forever, inasmuch as he
felt in his soul thousands Of hymns
dramas and poems that had never
found expression.
When the atheists would say to him,
"The proof that you will not exist in
the future is that you did not exist in
the past" Hugo would answer:
"Who told you | did not exist In the
past centuries? You will say that Is
the legend OF the ages. The poet has
written, Life is a fairy tale twice writ
ten He might have said a thousand
times written. You do not believe In
the doctrine of surviving personalities
for the reason that you do not recollect
your anterior existence. But how can
the recollection of vanished ages re-
main imprinted on your memory when
you do not remember thousand and
one scenes and events of your pres
ent life? Since 1902 there have been
ten Victor HugOs in me. Do you think
that | can recall all their actions and
all their thoughts?
1.-THE tomb is dark, and when | shall
have passed the tomb to emerge into
light once more all these Victor Hugos
will be almost wholly strangers to me,
but it will always be the same SOUL
Scrap Book
Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1907-07-27
prime Minister'S Ruse.

A good story Is told Of the manner in
which the Hon Alfred Deakin, prime
minister of the commonwealth of Aus
tralia and It's representative at the CO.
Ionia! conference. managed to get
hearing at a hostile meeting. The back
of the hall was packed with his oppo'
pents. who had decided he should not
be heard. and the moment be stepped
forward they began to shout and groan
and effectually TO drown his voice.
Deakin. quite unmoved, went on ad-
dressing them. though not q word was
audible. The deafening noise went on
for some minutes. Then the front
rows began to laugh. The ripple or
laughter went on till II reached the
back benches. shut up, you fools.
He amt worryin'," said a strident
voice. as a sudden silence fell. Deak-
ms mouth opened and his right hand
went out. but there was no sound, ana
for one second you could have heard
q pin drop. Then speaker and audi
ence Joined in the laughter. He had
only been making dumb show. Tit
Bits.
Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1907-07-27
Witchcraft,

One of the cemeteries near Naples
has been the scene of a crime that
shows curious recrudescence of me-
diaeval superstition. 4 little girl was
buried there in July. 1905. and twelve
months later it was arranged to trans
fer the remains TO a niche in the little
mortuary chapel. At the exhumation
suspicion was aroused by the extraor-
dinarily light weight of the coffin.
which on being opened was found to
contain only the child's skull wrapped
in straw. Professors Antonelli and FL
miami, who examined the head de-
clared that it had been ruthessly torn
from the trunk soon after death. The
police Investigations have resulted In
the discovery that the girls body was
disinterred and the bones pulverized to
serve for the rites of necromancy and
witchcraft. which are still so much In
vogue among superstitious peasantry
Of that region.
Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1907-07-27
He Could Walk,

All are not soldiers who wear uni
form, as General Lew Wallace found
out at Fort Donelson. He saw four
soldiers carrying fifth, who seemed
to be wounded.
Cant that man walk without assist
ance" asked Wallace.
"Oh. no." said the men. HE is
dying"
Just then a shell exploded near by,
and the four men dropped their burden
and fled. The man who was supposed
to he wounded leaped to his feet and
ran even faster than the others.
Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1907-07-27

Trains Nos 40 and so will stop at all sta
tions on Sunday for local passengers, on signal
or notice to conductor.
r. B.COOKE. J. G. RODGERS.
Traffic Manager. Superintendent.
Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-11-08

committees has power for clearing
house purposes 10 examine all books
and assets OF amy member of tho aB.
ISOLATION whenever It may be doomed
necessary. In case II hank Is soly.
eni, but there Is run OIL It. the
Clearing House committee quietly
visits the institution ana makes n
thorough Investigation of Its affairs. II
the examination shows TINT the AZ.
sets are all right and TINT the hank
deserves assistance. the Clearing
House decides the amounts selects
good collateral from the assets. and
against this collateral advances such
cash as may IL necessary to carry
along tho bank till tho trouble has
blown away. The Clearing House
holds this collateral for the benefit
of all the banks which have contrl.
buted IN the cash required hi the hour
OF emergency. In New York two
weeks aSo several banks were assist
cd in this manner which otherwise
might have failed.
a Clearing House Association Is nj.
ways ON the abort 10 guard tho fnan.
cial interests of the public II hank
Is "ovcrtradlng,' Is lending too much
money. Is too frequently below the re.
serve line. or there Is anything I'm.
satisfactory about the management, Il
committee OF the association steps In
to make an examinations The ordera
of the Association must be oloycd.
because any member can be suspend
cd from the privileges of the Clearing
House until the association is sstis-
fled that thew should be u renstate-
or permanent dismissal
The Clearing House has proved
more than once 10 be Gulwark OF
safety. and It Is to be hoped that
nothing win occur that will put an
end to its usefulness.
Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-11-08
SPLENDID VICTORY FOR DECENT
GOVERNMENT.

In all Of the election contests last
Tuesday there was not more nj stake
than in San Francisco. Were the citi.
zens who loliovc In honest municipal.
government made the effort OF their
lives 10 keep the city from again iall.
Ing into the hands OF tho grafters
an innlction from which tie city has
sorely suffered for many years past
The citizens won. and that they did Is
Il reason for rejoicing throughout the
whole country. The triumph OF the
nntl-graft party was one of tho most
s. atifying results of all the elections
held on Tuesday DIR. Taylor the citi.
zcn's candidate WAS reelected by
over 1900 plurality and the anti
graft district attorney was chosen by
over $4,000. The fight was sharp the
social labor candidates mailing Wig.
orous campaign, appealing to the for
mer supporters OF Schmlty and Ruef
for support. The audacity OF their
canvass. In the face of the exposures
OF thcir former leaders and the alb
scnce of any positive pledge to purify
the city's record, aroused the people
of San Francisco OF the better class
to Il realization of the danger that
their city might slip buck into the
old ways OF graft and crime, and the
votes cast on Tueadsy Indicate that
That element was Indeed fortunate TO
be In the majority
The work TO be done In San Fran
cisco is peculiarly difficult but Its ac-
compiishment is rendered tho easier
and lis success the suier By the Wig
orous manner In which the first cleo.
tlon since the exposures has been car.
ried for good government
Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-11-08

The committee on awards OF the
jamestown Exposition Company has
given to the Newport News Shipbulid.
ing and Dry Dock company tho gold
medal for having the best exhibit
OF It's kind at the Exposition. The
award must be most pleasing to the
officials. though of course. it was not
necessary to tell the world in this
manner that the company not only
prepares an exhibit that surpasses
all of similar nature, but constructs
ships that are superior to all others
as well. There are few exhibits at
the Exposition OF more interest than
that of tho local concern and the
award Was won on its merits alone.
the Isl varieties" has eloped with a
trained nurse; got himself In pickle
so to speak.
Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-11-08
THE WORK OF THE NEW YORK
CLEARING HOUSE.

During the past tnrcO WceRS no H.
namcial story from New York has
boon complete without some refer.
ence to the Clearing House Associa-
ton. for tho vn:y good reason that
The institution has occupied the cen
Ire OF tho stage neatly al OF the
time. The prominence of the organ
of many who had never before given
the matter thought, and II Daily
Press reader has asked that some
thing about the work of the Clearing
House be given In these columns.
Thogc Is II clearing house association
in nearly all cities of any size. but
the volume OF their business is over
Swallowed by the magnitude OF the
transactions OF the New York nst-
iutions, tho clcarings Of which have
for the past four years shown totals
ns follows 1903 s65.9770 337,955. 90; ;
1904, $GS,G49,4lS $3.50: 1906. S93.S22..
o60,20l.9l; 1906. Sl0i 675.S2S. 6S6l4. 1t
is recognized everywhere that a
clearing house Is tower of strength
in periods of financial distress. 1t was.
in fact, financial disasters that brought
clearing houses into existence. BE
tween 1898 and 1913 the banks of the
United States experienced more or
less trouble from imperfect and con-
ilicting laws regulating the banks, and
Wild spcculations. aud there we're u
number OF suspensions. II was IN
1853 that the New York Clearing
House was established. This ussocia
ton, OF the utmost importance in
promoting security to the great bank
ing interests OF the country. began
with u membership of 81 banks. Its
syntem Is so simple and yet so eFec-
tive, that bankers have often wonder
ed why Its establishment was so long
delayed.
Under this system each BANK In.
stead of presenting separately TO the
other lanks for payment such OF their
checks ms itholds and In It's turn pay.
ing cash to Ill the other banks for
such OF its own checks as they hold,
send them all nj certain hour to the
Clearing House. Here all the checks
are assorted, a clerk being present
from each bank having membership
The sum total of the checks each
bank presents. compared with the
sum total of the checks presented
against 1t, gives balance for which
the Clearing House draws its check
and the transactions that would have
taken many clicks ana messengers a
whole day TO complete. are finished in
,sssn hour or little more.
In addition to the convenience of
! the System, its beneficial effect In
oconomiz!ns currency 10 wonderful
1snen 1t is remembered that the large
banking houses in New York have
transactions daily involving ex.
changes of from siOO.oOo,OoO to 5000 .
100000. it will be readily understood
what vast loss such mn amount OF
idle money would entail under the
old system OF separate clearance pay.
ments- The New York Clearing
House is able TO settle 1t all by the
use OF from three and a half to four
per cent of the total currency amount
involved.
In order to join the New York
Clearing House hank must receive
favorable vote-about three.fourths
OF the membership-pay n fee when
admitted. and thereafter abide strict
~ by the rules of the organization.
These rules are designed to preserve
and enforce methods of conservative
banking Thus one Of Its standing
Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-11-08
POINTED PARAGRAPHS.

Even tho nigh flyer occasionally
lands in lowy place.
Failure fills the vacancy left when
perseverance, quits.
There is nothing SO thoroughly mis-.
understood as perfection.
There is quiet int steady demand
for wet goods in dry town.
Half a loaf is better than IN dozen
loaves OF the kind some bakers make.
Chicago News.
Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-11-08
80 - --t1n------ -
THE FAMILY INDEX.

We know there'll he no money
For quite little while:
The outlook isn't Funny
When father reads Carlyle.
lie never seeks those pages
When good luck comes alorg;
CARLYLE his woe assuages
When everything goes wrong.
Then father looks the duecrost
And siares with knitted frown,
And when the storm is nearest
lie reads him upside down.
IT'S then We cut down closer
And dine on cheese md bread,
And dare not meet the grocer
The poorhouse looms ahead.
But when those days are ovor.
Like Sunshine after rain
The family Is in clover
When father reads Mark Twain.
--New York Sun
Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-11-08

In view OF the report OF the spread
OF the anti-llQuor sentiment all over
the country and the seemiugly con.
Trajectory report OF an increase In
the consumption in liquor. It would
seem that somebody IS working over.
time. either in making reports or con.
Stunning the liquor.
Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-11-08

What money Will be saved for clotl
In short skirts Will more than b
counterbalanccd In pretty hosiery
Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-11-08

Was the writer who SAID that ga.
bags would be popular in futur,
wars thinking OF Hobson?
Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-11-08

Because Paris corset maker says
ihnt women's waists will be smaller
this year does not mean that mems
arms will be shortened.
Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-11-08

WIN VI any appreciation Oh nIt. litr
father. Mr.. Sid farrar, was an artist
OF high ability, md We at least did
appreciate his No.k ut shovtstop.-
Now York Sun.
Regardless o panics and politics.
the chorus girl continues her conquer.
INK march thiugh princes. telted
carls and mer millionalres.-Ncw
fo * Mail.
The talk OF calling an extra session
of Congress acets 10 have proceeded
on the principlepf soaring people out
OF their fcars.Ncw York Tribune.
But when Chancellor Day says that
Mr.. Roosevelt has sent no Offenders
to prison" he Is crlSlly twitting on
facts.-New York World.
II trgins 10 look now as II the
banks were trying to hoard up money.
Philadelphia Inquirer.
The Cannon boom appears to be far
from the molyooddlo class. however.
Washington Herald
The public plays no return dates IN
hero worship llfe.
The price OF steaks IL to be chop.
ped--St. Louis Times.
Mince pie is listed at the same old
price and the pieces are az small as
evor.-Chicago Rccord-lIerald
In the swap Of an American fortune
for II foreign title the money invnr'a-
bly, gets the worst OF Washington
Times.
Il must be quite strain on M
Ryan 10 supply an important and en-
tlrely new announcement to go with
each and every banquet. Indianapolis
Star.
II looks ms Ii that reduction in the
wholesale price OF mea; would be q
long time getting to the consumer
Philadelphia Press.
Great rs is his desire TO die poor.
Mr.. Carnegie during pnuic never
pushes In where financiers fear to
ad.-WaShincton post
Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-11-08

President Roosoveit's appetite TO,
applause is unlimited,
Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-11-08

Is the whole Hitchcock AFFAIR
clever game by his press agents
Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-11-08
WITH THE PAsAeRAPAERs.

1t Is difficult 10 believe that Miss
Geraldine Farrar Is correctly quoted
In the Berlin dispatches which ;cpre-
sent her as scoring Americans "a de-
void Of any appreciation of art. Her
father. Mr.. Sid farrar, was an artist
OF high ability. Ind We at least did
appreciate his VOL nj shortstop.-
Now York Sun.
Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-11-08

Great rs is his desire TO die poor.
Mr.. Carnegie during pnuic never
pushes IN where financters fear to
Washington Post.
Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-11-08

II looks MS II that reduction in the
wholesale price OF meat would be q
long time getting to the consumer
Philadelphia Press.
Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-11-08

Regardless O panics and politics.
the chorus girl continues her conquer
INK march thiugh princes. telted
carls and met milionalres.-New
70 k Mail.
Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-11-08

u must be quite strain on M
yam 10 supply an important and en-
tlrely new announcement to go with
each and every banquet! Indianapolis
Star.