davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-01-14

HSHE people of Columbus. O.. don't VR care fig about municipal own
 ership. They know when they are well off. They boast that they have the best street railway system Judged | by it's methods and by the service 1t gives them) in the country.
 The rate of fare (of which the patrons of the road almost universally avail them selves) is seven tickets for 9 cents or three and ffty-seven one-hundredths cents a fare. This rate, like all the other provisions under which the company now operates was established by the blanket franchise granted for a period of twenty five years by the City Council in 1901.
 At the time this franchise was granted the company. in the preliminary diseus- sion. conceded six tickets for a quarter According to the Ohio Magazine, some radicals demanded eight. The compromise of seven tickets for a quarter was sub sequently effected.
 The franchise as finally granted, how ever, contained the further provision that whenever the gross annual receipts of the company should reach the sum of q, ,75O,- O01, tickets must be sold at the rate of eight for a quarter-practically a flat 3 cent fare, and so well has the policy of the company succeeded that 1t Is now estimated hardly more than two years will elapse before the system of eight tickets for the same price will go into ef- feet.
 The franchise also provides for practi- celly universal transfers. and will con- tinue to do so when the fare is eight tickets for a quarter. In Columbus today, for a fare of 3.5T cents, a passenger may not transfer back to the line on which he originally purchased his ticket. but all other lines are open to him.
 This makes a fare for the distance that may be travelled believed to be the lowest in the world. It is unquestionably the lowest in America and on the average Is lower than the 3 cent fare charged on European roads operated under municipal ownership, because in the case of the lat ter second fare is collected where the passnger travels a prescribed distance.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-01-14
Alahama's OppOrtunitY.

Now that the Birmingham district is so much in the public eye Alabama should by all means make large and comprehensive exhibit of her varied resources at the Jamestown exposition. This prosperous state, and especially this prosperous mineral belt, will con tinue to advance commercially and in dustrially, but an exhibit of our prod ucts at Norfolk, where the exposition is to be held, would attract attention and would result in increasing the flow of capital in this direction.
 While more is heard of the naval and military programme being ar ranged for the Jamestown celebration the exposition itself will be one of the best eyer seen in the United States. It will be the first international fair ever held In southern state, and 1t would be a reflection on the enterprise and public spirit of our southern coun- try were the states of this section not creditably represented there. North ern states will be in strong evidence, and many of the southern states are waking up to the importance of keep ing abreast of the times in exposition displays.
 Vulcan should be sent to Norfolk. The iron colossus made hit at St. Louis in spite of the fact that it was not we'll placed. At the Jamestown exposition Vulcan would have proper setting and would be the observed of all observers. Coal, iron and steel could be exhibited In an attractive way in connection with the statue. But these commodities would represent only the Birmingham district. The re- sources of the entire state should be seen at the exposition. This is a ce- ment age as well as a steel age, and as concrete construction is now in vogue everywhere and as Alabama is taking It's place among the great ce- ment producing states, this compara- lively new industry here should be well advertised. Alabama has the finest marble quarries in the world. It has a great lumber interest. All these things, along with It's cotton crop and it's other agricultural products would combine to make an exhibit of sur passing interest
 A vast crowd will visit the exposi- tion and Alabama cannot afford to miss this opportunity of letting the world see what we have and what progress we are making.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-01-14
MOVEMENT THREATENED.

From the Atlanta Constitution.
 Just as the states of the south are pre- pairing to push immigration movements in the hope of supplying the brawn and muscle in which they are now sadly lack iEg, there hovers over them the imminent danger of adverse legislation which would seriously hamper, if not, in great meas ure. defeat, their efforts.
 The Constitution has called urgent at tention to the status of the immigration restriction bill which is now in confer ence committee, awaiting only agreement between the two houses of Congress to finally enact it and send it on to the President.
 If this inimieal measure becomes a law, it will place such additional restrictions upon immigration as to make it next to impossible for the states of the south to accomplish anything along this line. AL ready there are restrictions enough. for, as everyone interested Is aware, it was with the greatest difficulty under the present law that South Carolina recently succeeded in getting a meager handful of foreign immigrants safely and permanent ly within the borders of that state.
 What if a dozen or so additional restrie- tions had been put upon those immi- grants? Probably South Carolina would then have been put to the expense and modification of deportlng the majority of them. even though they were all of a class calculated to make good citizens
 Now the report comes from Washing ton, that this immigration restriction bill is about to go through
 If it is to be stopped, as it should be in the interest of the states of the south at least, some immediate action must be taken.
 The matter must be taken hold of now by commercial, industrial and immigra- tion bodies throughout the south. and an emphatic protest raised against a law which, if enacted is sure to seriously check their efforts in behalf of the souths best interests
 Let them take the matter up at once with their senators and congressman; let them lodge their protest with Speaker Cannon himself, who, it seems, is little short of all-powerful in shaping national legislation.
 What we want is immigration, and we want no prohibitive restrictions thrown around 1t.
 The north and west have had more than their share of 1t, and upon it they have fattened in prosperity. Let them not now seek to curtail the legitimate efforts of the states of the south in reaching out for their just due.
 The defeat of this restrictive legislation is as important as the organization of emigration movements, for If 1t becomes law, such organizations had almost as well go out of business.
 Right now is the time to call halt. A few more days and 1t maybe too late.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-01-14
About Roller Skating.

"Of all the hilarious kinds of sports and zigzag modes of exercising The pedal extremlties, I consider roller skating above them all" said young man who had his third experience on roller skates. Skating is great fad all over the coun- try among the old folks as well as the young.
 "There are various kinds of falls at the vogue rink. There are both front and rear falls, and also what you would call the cross falls. where everybody piles mp on top of each other. There are about ten or twelve participates in this stunt
 There are two positions in skating, the perpendicular and the horizontal. The older skater perfers the perpendicular, but l must admit 1t all looks alike to me.
 "I'n advise all whom wish to learn the art of skating to take along a feath- CT mattress and bottle of moment"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-01-14
M'CREA A POPULAR BOSS

his savings, but is not a rich man. What he has is mainly invested in Pennsyl- vania railroad stock. It is not thought that he ever dabbed ins outside interests. He was born in Philadelphia on May l. 1s4S. He entered the railroad service in June, 1S65 and since that time he has been eonsecutively, to December, 1867, rodman and assistant engineer, Con- nellsvile and Southern Pennsylvania road; December, 1867, to September, 1868, rodman on construction Wilmington and Reading road; September, 1868. to March, 1871, assistant engineer of construction, Bennett's branch extension, Allegheny Valley road; March 1. -1S71, to August 1. 1874, principal assistant engineer, con- struction department Pennsylvania rail- road; August l, 1874 to January 1, 1875. assistant engineer of maintenance of way, Philadelphia division Pennsylvania railroad January 1, 1875, to October 10, 1873, superintendent of Middle division, and October 15 1878, to May 1, 1882, su- perintendent of the New York division of the same road; May 1, 1882, to October 10 1885, manager of the Pittsburg, Cin- cinnati and St. LOUIS railway ana Cnl- cago, St. Louis and Pittsburg railroad; october 10 1885, to October 2S, 1884, gen. eral manager of Pennsylvania lines west of Pittsburg October 2s, 1887. to March l. 1890, fourth vice president and general manager; March 1, 1890, to April 2S, 1891, second vice president; April g, 1891, to date, first vice president Pennsylvania lines west of Pittsburg; also president of the Cincinnati and Muskingum Valley railroad, Terre Haute and Indianapolis railroad and it's successor, the Vandalia railroad Grand Rapids and Indiana. and Cleveland, Akron and Columbus railways.
 MT. McCrea had his preliminary edu- cation in the. private school of Rev. John w. Faires, and later went to the Pennsylvania Polytechnic school. Like many other railroad managers who be- gan in the capacity of rodmen, he set himself to build career.
 The new Pennsylvania executive has never found time from his railroad du- ties to engage in social life. The only semi-public position that he holds Is that of trustee of the University of Penn sylvania.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-01-14

to the filth and other unpleasant condi- tons which have come to be regarded as the concomitants of American jail life. The recent episode in New York, when a highly respect woman, upon complain of an irresponsible stranger, was cast Into cell with dsreputable companions. points vivdly to the need of reform in this mat ter. That she was later triumphantly cleared does not excuse the harsh system which placed her In unwilling contact with moral degradation harder to be borne than the physical reek and un- wholesomeness of the rural prison. On account of the innocents from time to time inevitably confined. prison cleanli- ness and improved methods become of greater importance.
 If Dr. Braggs protest awakens dor mant public interest in the pail life and brings about a reformation of the ad- mitted evils of the American jail system, he will have performed a public service. not alone to his own state. but to the country at large-for reform is nearly al- ways contagious-and he will deserve the gratitude of the thousands of innocent persons who are the greatest sufferers from the reeking filth and unwholesome- ness common to so many jailhouses.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-01-14
PRATT IN WASHINGTON.
the Mashington Herald.

From the Washington Herald.
 MT. G. w. Pratt, native South Car olinian, who in the days of democratic dominance of the House of Representa- tives occupied an important clerical posi- ton, was seen at the New Willard last evening. He has prospered greatly since leaving Washington and Is now at the head of one of the big cotton mills of Ala bama. In talking with Herald reporter MT. Pratt said:
 Things are breaking good for the man. ufacturers of cotton, and also for the men whop reduce the raw material. Cot ton at 10 cents pound tells the story Of southern prosperity. We will never see any more low prices for this great prod uct, because we cannot produce it in suf- ficient quantity to glut the markets. The consumption Is ever on the increase, and will continue to run ahead of the supply however big the crop may be. The ancient legend that cotton is king is truer today than aver" {
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-01-14
No Floht on Cotton Exchange.

President Harvie Jordan's fight against the contract issued by the New York Cotton exchange should not be confused and construed to mean a fight on the exchange" says B. Dixon Armstrong, auditor of the Southern Cotton associa- ton. "No fight Is made on the exchange, or any of it's transactions, which may be shown as legitimate and not detrimental to the interests of the legitimate cotton trade
 "In total disregard of the law of supply and demand and of every other law of right, the revision committee of the New York Cotton exchange met on November 21, 1906, and fixed the price differences between grades for the selling season this winter. This arbitary action has brought about the following outrageous condition. In the New York spot cotton market the difference a few days since in the price of middlng and ordinary grades of cotton was about 200 points or $10OO per bale. The revision committee made the difference only 100 points or S5 per bale. The same arbitrary fictitious values were placed on all discounts and premiums under or above middling grades. Under the rules of the exchange, thirty different grades of cotton can be rendered on contract-though the basis of contract is understood to be middling. The wrong of it Is clear in this illustra- tion. If a dealer in spot cotton buys 100 bales on January contract, and de- mands cotton on settling day. which is 27th of each month, under the rules can be rendered 100 bales containing thir- ty grades-for the most part unspinable, unmerchantable cotton. and demand In the settlement $5 more per bale for such cotton than it's commercial value. He cannot use the cotton rendered, no mill mill can spin it, he further can't afford | to accept as a net loss of $5 a bale 1 in it's true market value All he can do Is | close out his contract and look cheerful over his loss. Where he takes that course-notices are withdrawn-the seller who rendered cotton has made S5 per may be rendered on a thousand different deals the same day and each time the same results to the other fellow, and the same cotton lies In neglected decay over at the warehouse on Staten Island to be used for the same old purpose year after | year
 This rule has of course driven all spot dealers who want cotton out of that mar ket Daily dealings on that exchange amount to from 25O to 300 thousand bales. yet the entire stock of all grades of cotton is less than 115,OOO bales It is the system President Jordan is fighting and in the end he will win. If the New | York Cotton exchange does not revise its rules and issue a fair contract. involv- ing legitimate dealing 1t will suffer and | cause, l fear, others to suffer"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-01-14

public as well as the travelling public would resent.
 As no trains are to be held longer than thirty minutes for connecting trains there is no reason why the pas senger trains on the Southern and af- filiated roads should not be brought in on time, or very near it. The people served by the great trunk line will watch with deep interest the new movement. and approval will follow if arriving trains pay due respect to their schedules.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-01-14
THE AMERICAN JAIL.

From the New Orleans Times-Democrat.
 In a report to Governor Jelks, pr. Shir- ley Bragg, president of the Alabama con- vict board, presents a strong indictment against the jails of that state, closing
 with the suggestion that humanity would
 be best served if every jail in Alabama
 were burned. They reek, he declares, with filth, vermin and disease, and in many of them men and women remain for months without means of washing
 their hands and faces.
 Assuming that the doctor Is correctly
 quoted in these scathing utterances, they are given, by the official position of the
 man who makes them, an importance that renders them worthy of serious consider
 ation. There have been criticisms with
 out number of jails in all parts of the country, but save in rare instances they have been lightly received, for the reason
 that the critics have for the most part
 been either laymen without experience. aggrleved prisoners, or sentimentalists.
 When the president of a state convict
 board finds prison conditions almost unen- durable his statements are likely to carry sufficient weight with the public to lead to an investigation of the prison system and to the reform of such abuses as may be found to exist
 The filthy jail. it may be conceded at the outset, Is not the monopoly of Ala bama nor of any state, nor is the insani- tary prison peculiar to any particular sec ton of the country. It is probable that the rural prisoner suffers more severely from these evils than his urban fellow unfortunates, but even In the cities prison conditions are by no means ideal and there is little doubt that radical improve ment might be effected by vigorous agi- tation of the subject. In this respect 1t is probably true that the preliminary or committing jaiN are much more uncom- fortable and unhealthy as rule than the penitentiarles themselves.
 | It is in the jail, therefore. that prison reform should begin. In these narrow strongrooms are temporarily confined many suspected prisoners, upon whose guilt or innocence no judge or jury has fortunates are eventually cleared of the stigma that rests upon them and released. Assuming, for the sake of argument, that the hardened criminal has placed himself partly outside the pale of public consid- eration, it is manifestly unjust to sub ject innocent men or women who may be victims of circumstance or suspicion
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-01-14
InauuuratiOn Oay.

Good weather and mild baliay airs promise to assist today in the laaugu- ration of Governor elect Conner, whose administration may become epochal in the political history of the state, alike in the respect of the actual change in the control of public affairs, and in the reforms that may mark it's course. At any rate the inauguration ceremonies of today are more promising than such events have been of late.
 The Montgomery Journal, speaking from the inside circle of the new ad- ministration, says:
 MT. Conner will be a busy man-busy in the work before him; and like all gov- ernors who have something to do, who have an ambition to serve the people well and faithfully; who hopes to carry out every pledge made to the people; to sub- serve no private interest but the public veal, he will be busy, very busy indeed, busy serving friends and pacifying foes, and striving to show the latter that he is a man of affairs, who knows the sensi- tiveness of business While seeking to do justice to one interest, he will not do injury or hurt to the other"
 This is an excellent programme, and in the light of the parades and festiyi- ties of Inauguration Day, let us hope it will come true. If it does, then in deed will today stand out in our politi- cal history a Red Letter Day.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-01-14

Philadelphia Dispatch in N. Y. World.
 JAMES McCREA began his railroad (O)l career when he was 1T years old O as rodman on the Connellsville and Southern railroad. In the 9 years since then he has worked his way up from position to position until his present selection as president of the great Penn- sylvania system, at salary of s50,000 year.
 Mir McCrea has the reputation of being one of the best railroad men in the coun- try. He is entirely familiar with all the intricacies of the system, combining as he does a thorough knowledge of the west ern lines and as good an understanding of the eastern section as any other oe ficlal in the company. It was his close acquaintanceship with the vast interests of the railroad west of Pittsburg that was the determining factor in his selection. For more than ten years he has practi- cally been president of the western lines. and before that he was general superin tendent of the roads east of Philadelphia.
 As vice president of the Pennsylvania company, the name under which the lines of the Pennsylvania west of Pittsburg are known, MT. McCrea has done his best work. Because the greater part of his activity has been confined to the west, he is practically unknown in the New York financial district. But 1t Is under stood that he is in thorough sympathy with the policy followed by the late Pres ident Cassatt. Unlike the latter, who was reticent, the new president has al- ways been accessible to all of the Penn sylvana employees, from conductors and section bosses up.
 Mir McCrea has the rare and valuable faculty of endearlng himself to all those who come under his orders. Position and authority have never made him forget full of the rights and feelings of others
 It is thought that his elevation to the presidency will be followed by a shake up in all departments He is known as rigid enemy of graft. His latest act at Pittsburg was to order all advertise ments out of the published time tables, because he dcovered that certain ofh- cials were getting a "rake-off" from them.
 MT. McCrea has always lived within
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-01-14
REFLECTIONS OF A BACHELOR,

From the New York Press. unless they are useful
 A girl is pretty enough to suit herself when she thinks she is.
 One of the worst things about not be- ing married is you are always in danger of being.
 A mans idea of being comfortable is wearing something it makes his wife mad to have him seen in
 An awful nice thing about being rich is the way you can despise your poor rel atives without their daring to try to set ayan wikt
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-01-14
F. J. REMEMBERING MAN.

From the Florida Times-Union.
 It was at splritualists' meeting, and the medium was nettled because one old fellow in the rear of the hall per- sisted in dozing throughout the lecture.
 Determined to frighten him into wake fitness the medium stepped from the platform. walked quickly to the nod ding man. touched him lightly on the shoulder and said, In sepulchral tones:
 T shall order up the spirit nowr'
 "Tha'sh all IT," came the unexpected answer. Make mine a highball an I'll pay the darn bill.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-01-14
New Railroad Chances.

The Southern and the roads 1t con trols have heightened the running time of their passenger trains. The public will accept slower trains provided they arrive as a rule in accordance with schedules. Slower trains that are from one to six hours late would, how aver. be a nuisance that the general
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-01-14
BONNIE WEE THING.

By Robert Burns. Bonnie wee thing cannie wee thing!
 Lovely wee thing. vert thou mine, I wad wear thee in my bosom,
 Lest by jewel should tine. Wishfully 1 look. and lansuish
 In that bonnie face O thine; And my heart it sounds wi anguish Lest my wee thing be ma mine. Wit and grace, and love and beauty,
 In ae constellation shine: To adore thee is my duty.
 Goddess O this soul O mine Bonnie wee thing cannie wee thing,
 Lovely wee thing. vert thou mine, I wad wear thee in my bosom,
 Lest my jewel should tine.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-01-14
HIS INTEREST.

From the Washington Herald. Are you related to the briie or graam elect?" inquired the busy usher. No"
 Then what interest have you in the ceremony"
 I'm the defeated candidate
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-01-14

The newspapers of Atlanta are try ing to create the impression that At lanta has a cinch so far as the sub treasury is concerned. thus fooling mo- body.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-01-14

Carnegie and Rockefeller are now engaged in moulding national thought. They have taken the place once held by Bishop Potter, who was aided by Chauncey Depew.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-01-14

The title to the canal zone has been declared legal, and the right to acquire provinces, dependencies and protector ates by treaty Is now open and unlim ited. This is, in short, an empire in stead of republic.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-01-14

In the case of ex-Gov. Joseph F. Johnston versus John Temple Graves the Alabamian seems to have come off victor. Atlanta and Atlantians are los ing right along.