davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1907-07-25
Random Thoughts
of a
Busy Outsider
How beautiful is the rain
After the dust and heat
In the broad and fiery street.

In the broad and fiery street"
The Outsider Weakened the othei
night to the sound of dripping rain
just as we have wakened various 9th
er nights of the last few weeks, a1j
lying in the dark the words Of the old
poem came back. 1t is one Of Longfel
low's"The Summer RAIN" but the out,
slider learned it first in an old reader, the
Vaudeville Series,-- one published
long before your time, my dear mo |.
ern miss or sir. Somewhat antiquat-
ed in the Outsiders childhood. which
was of the McGuffey time. In this in,
teresting green bound booklets color
struck a childish eye--was found the
poem on the rain.
There was another poem, as suitable
to this particularly showery weather:
cts far in June, it's late In June,
The month of leaves and roses,
When pleasant light should meet the
eye,
And pleasant smells the noses.
They say that time is on the wing,
But who would know it when it still
Keeps raining, raining, raining?"
l am not sure whether our modern
teacher would class this as a "mem-
DRY gen." but in those cruder days it
was found in a Speaker" Beadles
Dime Speaker, if you must know, the
only and original Beadle, originator
of the Beadle dime novel series,-
"Highwayma1 Harry" "Dhre Devil
Dick" and all the rest of them
Nor did charming young lady can
vas for Beadle's Speaker along about
Christmas time and tell you that she
thought it would be an excellent gift
for the children. When you wanted a
Beadle father went to town and in
vested a ten cent shin plaster in one
and you were very happy.
The rain this July seems to give an
unusually oppressive atmosphere. The
rainy season of six years ago. a1d thel
hot season of five years ago seem
to have been rolled into one and thel
mixture is a bad one.
Lots of talk about the weather, isl
it? Well, what else is there to talk
about? The town Is dull as far as
news goes. Irredeemably dun If it
was not for the base ball news. Oh
yes, one might add another item of
new AMI pleasant thingsl
said about the Oskaloosa Rest Room.
1t is the Woman's Club after all, that
has made the town famous.
The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1907-07-25
eunsAuLEs CHOSEN.
Made Postmaster at Wright to Sue
coed Delashmutt.

Washington d. G., July 23.--Joh1
Gunsaules mas been appointed post
mister at Wright. Mahaska county.
vice r. c. Delashmnts, decensed.
The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1907-07-25

Every state and territory in the
Union grows corn. The crop means
millions of profits annually to trans
portation companies. 1t has built
thousands OF miles of railroads I'M
the great west, it built Chicago and
when the fire almost destroyed that
city corn rebuilded it. Aside from
its uses as food and for dfstilltlgI
whisky, corn is now the basis of al
number of manufacturing industries.
Not until recently was it discovered
that the germ of the corn contained
a valuable oil. Under nigh PRESSURE
this hitherto unconsidered part of the
grain now yields product that makes
fr more valuable IN proportion to its
size than the rest of the grain. The
oil is used for salad dressings and
other purposes and is frequently sold
under another name. Cornstalk pithI
has been for some years manufactur-
ed into cellulose, used between the
inner and outer shells of battleships
to prevent piercing by missiles, and
to prevent leaks by swelling when
the water rushes into hole made
by projectile. Many kinds of starch
are made from corn, running from
that which is served upon the table
to that which is used in the laundry.
These are only few of the import
ant corn products, there being more
than 100 altogether
The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1907-07-25

Corn grows from Siberia to the
South Sea islands, although the great
est producing section is the corn belt
in the United States, the latitude of
which is measured by the northern
and soutnerl bouaEaries of Illinois.
Almost every civilized country is now
growing corn and the acreage is be-
ing expanded in most of them, but
the United States grows about rs per-
cent of the worlds crop, AID as II
will be possible, in the opinion of
experts, to expand the American crop
to 5,OO0,0O0,O0O bushels on the pres
ent acreage by improved methods of
agriculture. there is no danger that
this country will lose her position as
the great cora grower, or cease toI
grow the proportion of the worlds
crop that she now produces.
The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1907-07-25

But what's the good of being famous
or respected, or anything else in this
day and age of the world if you nave
not what the moder1 calls the
dough? Oskaloosa has not any
right to be beautiful, and clean, and
charitable, and hospiCable,-she must
get hustle on herself a1d build fac
tories. From all four quarters of the
town, even up to the very edoe of the
college campus, smoke must rise from
great brick buildings. Every morning
into those buildings must pour nun
dreds of men and women, and as many
little children as the Wonan's Club
will allow. All day they must stand
there throwing lever, tying knot or
feeding a machine. When the day is
done, what has the individual worker
accomplished? Maybe ne mas cut a
thread in Wcrew, sewed a seam on a
garment, or pounded a mead on a nail
How would you like such work as that,
o you seeker after social bettermeat?
When the days work of the factory
is over, and men and women pour out
hot, dirty and tired, what memory Of
well done work Is there left to cheer
them? What interest have they in
work save to earn the money, which
the employer doles out so reluctantly?
1t is the duh, uninterested worker, the
man who works for the money only,
that brings about strikes and labor
troubles.
The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1907-07-25

maturer years as proof Of the health,
fulness OF corn products. He declar-
ed that If Europe would learn to eat
corn meal millions of the poor would
be benefited, AID t1at the new mar
ket for an American output would re-
build our merchant marine. He also
predicted that when the Panama ca
nal was completed America would of
fer at the ports or China AMI India
substitute for rice at half the price
of that staple and of twice its food
value. AS a result of Mr. Murphy's
missionary work corn bread is still
called Murphy bread" IN some of
the European capitals.
q d y
Twenty years ago We exported onlyl
4 per cent of our corn. We. export
only 10 per cent at present, but the
home demand has put the
cereal on commercial basis that in
sures against the possibility of its
becoming fuel again except in the
event of a serious panic. The bulk
of the crop at present never leayesl
the counties in which 1t Is grown.
The producers prefer to convert it'll
Into meat, cheese, butter, milk or
other products. While America mas
learned to assimilate her own corn
crop, Europe is learning to grow corn
N large quantities. Austria Hungary
IS now the second corn producing
in the world and her product
IS increasing every year, but the de-
nand Increases so much more rapidly
han the production that the annual
IMPORTS increase materially every
rear. Northern China, Italy and
,arts of Africa are now using large
quantities of corn for food. Our
leavfest exports go to England, Hol-
and, Germany and Denmark, and a
,art of the corn imported Into these
finds its way to the tables
II the Inhabitants.
- ~ NJ
The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1907-07-25


The Outsider often doubts II Oska-
Ioosa really needs factories; IL all this
buzzing about of those busy bees, the
Commercial Club workers, Is to any
pnilosophically good purpose. I'm
les you can attract a class Of happy,
contented citizens, you have surely
enough.
The Outsider know this Is rank
heresy, and expects to be proclaime
a person of no judgment, one who
would rather be happy and clean than
live in a big, busting city. But 1t
really has often struck us that all
this mad rush of little cor1try towns
for factories was mistaken notioa. II
would be a great social benefit to fac
tory workers to be scattered In small
err places, but what would 1t be for
the original Inhabitants OF aforesaid
country places?
And those original Inhabitants have
a right to consideration, and like all
the rest of US humans they demand
their right. It used to be said that
only the original Dutch settlers de-
scelda1ts were the genuine blue
bloods OF New York. Every small
town has its little coterie OF first and
only. A neignboring town used TO
date rs proprietors---in sentiment
from the deep snow settlers Of so
or 81. Horroras Wa have really for
soften whichls me proper date. Well,
The oplsider could BY no manner Of
The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1907-07-25

The pulpit at the First Presbyterian
church was supplied Sunday morning
ly Pres. Al Roscnbereef ot Peas col
lege, and th3t Of The Friends church
by Miss Alice Coleman.
The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1907-07-25

The Epworth League united in tae
short hour evening service at the
Methodist Episcopal church Sunday
Miss Kate ogborn viii be WITH the
church next Sunday, July 2s, and will
speak at both services.
The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1907-07-25
Other Church Notes.

In the absence Of their pastor, Rev.
Kaye. Prof l.. F Parker OF Grinaell
supplied the pulpit at the Congrega-
tional church Sunday morning. Miss
Grace Duboc assisted in the choir:
The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1907-07-25

Before the international congress
tof millers in Paris, during the expo
xition. Mr.. Murphy delivered an ex-
haustive address upon the delights
Of corn pone. samp, jonnny bread,
Boston brown bread, griddle cakes,
corn fritters, corn wafiies, succotash,
corn pudding and other American del
icacies unknown in Europe. Urging
that the lack Of natural interest in
the American food was due to ignor-
ance. he quoted distinguished Eng
fish traveller who asserted thar Amer
leans made a palatable food from
corn meal called "buekwheat cakes. "
He established corn kitchens in vari-
ons cities IN Europe and England and
sold corn bread of the stove at nominal
prices, partly at HIS own expense in
an eifort 10 demonstrate TO Europea1s
inst America offered a substitute for
me peasants bitter black broad more
dellcloasIy Favored than the white
hiend Of the rich.
u 4R
Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-01-18
Where Few Meters Are Used.

the Water Department as a separate business from the other municipal de- partments and cause each department to pay to the Water Department an amount of money equal to the amount of water used by that department
 By sufficiently increasing the ap- propriations of the different depart- ments using city water. so that they for their use the responsibility of using only the proper amount will fall upon those into whose hands the spend. ing of these appropriations Is placed
 In this way. if a department Is allow ed si.0oo for water. In the same man. ner as that department is allowed a stated sum for any other commodity. as gas, for instance, and if, through neglest or earelessness on the part of iis employes. the bill for wa appropriation will fall short $500. and the result will be that a curtailmcnt will be necessary for that year. once will be sufficient for this to happen. 10 see that water bills will not cat into the appropriation again. In fact it is not improbable that a sum might be saved on water. and Instead of department may. through the careful ness of It's employees. use very much less water and consequently save mon- ey. This is not only a probability but also a possibility. as the following
 In Waterbury. there arc numerous public schools which are metered in or- der that this department may keep track Of the amount Of water used by them. There are also several private schools. also metered. not only to keep track Of the amount of water used by them. but also that we may charge them the proper amount. for these schools pay Tor all the water they use.
 g Nat schools are as sanitary and up to date tand We believe that they areD as any of our public schools. We also be- lieye that these schools use as much water as sanitation calls for: that iSe~ use all they want. but waste none. Still it is interesting t0 note on our meter books the difference between the wt.ts y5e Si wa,s5 5aiR lR 'fs Ss pSsi schools and the use of water in these private schools. where the regular meter rate Is charged.
 We find that one public school. with $50 cubic feet in six months. while one of the parochial schools with an at tendance of Zee pupils. used is-y9e cu- other public sciscol. with an attend ance Of is. pupils used ss.sls cubic feet for six months. while another parochial school. with an attendance es., foP P"R Ise ..5 Ssd pe1;n 1nl e ess.e ssss find that another public school with an attendance If 3ss pupils. used a. .sss cubic feet in six months. while another private school fpart of the pupils boarding at the srhooii. used only 1sle1z cubic feet during the same De- riod. IL is easily seen that In schools where water IS free the use Is much greater than fn private schools where care in its use must be observed-
 Tn order to arrive at q rate that will be satisfactory to the consun1er ming expenses 0f the drrsrtu1ent we must consider several things
 We have s<en tn the brzsnnirz of tain the reserrctr. and r1rcEase land. ft vas also shown that interest ard sinking fzr1s to the amount of efa11k. ssss; ss i q si se slss sss " wss.s ss16 s.
Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-01-18

It is our opinion that many of these rates are high enough so that hand- some profit may be turned over to the City or Company each year. In many cities also, it is necessary to maintain an expensive pumping plant. which would necessarily make the rate for such places high. In other cities where there is an abundant gravity system with a small consumption. small rates are the rule, and a fair profit can be made.
 In Waterbury. we have gravity sys- tenn with an abnormal consumption. With such condition, 1t is hardly possible to find a rate that will fit conditions here, for it seems to be the general opinion. that we should have rate which will yield revenue enough to cover the running expenses of the department and interest on the bonded indebtedness and no more. No profit should be made, but the water should be sold to the consumer at actual cost. and that cost should be as low as pos sible.
 The following table taken from a recent report, shows the population, storage capacity and daily consumption of water in several cities of the state:
Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-01-18
Rates.

The present rates for water in Waterbury are and have been for some time the cause of much dissatisfaction and complaint. These rates were made when tho city was much smaller than at present. and the consumption of water was nothing like the present amount. They were made when very few meters were in use in this city. and were made so that the flat rate system would be the at
 tractive one to the property holder, rather than the meter system. At that time. there was no sewer system in eX- istence, outside closets were in gem eral use, while cesspools and brooks took care of all sewage When such conditions exist there can be no un- necessary waste of water for the prop erty owner was thoughtful of filling his cesspool and the necessary expense of replacing or emptying 1t. There were no leaking faucets or closets, for the same reason. These rates have outliv- ed their usefulness and should be re- vised at once.
 We have tried, by comparing the rates charged in different cities, to arr rive at an average rate that will ap- pear just and right for Waterbury, but the rates as found, vary so much that this Is hardly possible.
 The following table snows the meter
 rates, as charged in the different cities of Connecticut:
Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-01-18
WATERBURY'S WATER SUPPLY
Interesting Report Prepared By Superintendent Kennedy Giving Many Details About Our Water Works and the Sources
 of Supply in Other Places.

To-day the Democrat prints in de- tail the report of Superintendent William F. Kennedy regarding the water question. It is something which should be read by everybody and then discussed until everybody is quite familiar with the subject, some- thing which very few can say at the present time. The price of water concerns everybody and all should endeavor to throw as much light as possible on the agitation now going on relative to the equality of rates and the wisdom of taking steps to add to the storage capacity of our reservoirs. Whatever may be said or thought of the attitude of the commissioners of the department of public works relative to this much misunderstood question, it cannot be
Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-01-18

charged that they claim to know more about it than all the rest of the people On the contrary they invite discussion and with view to making treatment of the matter in telligent it has been decided to give the public chance to see and digest for themselves such facts as have been submitted to them by the head of the department. Aside from the matter of rates, which appears to be uppermost in the minds of all just now, the report contains a vast amount of valuable information on the reservoirs of the city never be- fore published in the papers. The report was prepared by MT Kennedy in response to request to that ef- feet from the board of public works. It is as follows:
Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-01-18
better fire protection and supply at tho

better fire protection and supply at tno higher points.
 We attach to this report the replies of several superintendents of water departments to 8 series of questions regarding this matter; also copies Of their letters on this subject. These men have passed through these same difh- culties and are competent by experience to speak on this subject
 In late report of Supt. p. w. Be mus of Cleveland. Ohio. he states the following:-Of the l6,S20 house meters that have been in use, about a year or more, one-third or 5.770 meters show an average use for six months of only 1878 feet, and 5.550 others show an av- craze use of only 3,767 feet. The av- craze of 16,s20 was 1000 In other words, about one-third of the meters show a use of only 56 gallons per day. and as there are on an average of seven persons to connection in Cleveland, this would make about eight gallons per day per capita used for about one third of those houses metered for about one year, which divided by seven would give 23 gallons per capita. But the average of the whole Is about 800 gallons per connection, or perhaps 4S gallons per capita"
 Mir Jerry O'Shaughness. Supt. of Wa ter Works, Columbus. Ohio, states. Tn 1895 our city went dry; this is 1904 and we have done scarcely anything to increase the supply excepting to push the meter system. have every reason
Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-01-18

This rate, In our opinion, Is fair to all It is low enough so that plenty ct water can be used used & by all Hand and s5ill n partment will have revenue enough to pay Its running expenses.
 Let us make few comparisons. so that we may see how this rate will af- feet the present consumers of water. who are metered.
 To begin with. this rate is just one third the present rate. which is sos per 100 gallons 10 most consumers. To the large consumers, where the aver age daily consumption is 10000 gal
 Ions or more. 1t Is a trihe higher. but as there are only 31 meters with registration of ioeSo ,S. gallons g,nr,S daily ,Ss Ss consumers will he reduced.
 Let us take for example few places that are now metered and see how this take six three family houses. all in the same section and all on the High Ser vice.
 One house containing three families of lI persons. having three closets der the canvass rate. sii for six
 months. At the present time. with q meter. they are using l09 cubic feet
 sss.s M .s9 9a for Wdyn six months v With the new
 rate. this bill would he si2.ss for six
 months. or less than the canvass rate.
 Another house. containing three fam lilies or Ia DtTeOuS. NuItt tltS-
 cts. three baths. one hose. and the
 usual fixtures. paid. under the can vass rate. SIS for six months. At tho present time. with a meter. they are us-
 ing k eHe S os te; psT for Ssy .a Mhiss ons. Ml With the new rate. this bill would be sf007
 Another house. containing three ilies of i2 persons. having three clos. cts three baths and usual fixtures. paid under the canvass rate fI..I5 for six months. At the present time. with a meter. they are using is cubic feet per day. which will mske Dill of si3tS for six months. With the new rate this ! bill would be ss-ls.
 families of i5 persons. having three closets. three baths and usual nx1res. paid under the canvas rate si5 for six months. At the present time with me ter. they are using 42 cubic feet per day
 which will make a bill of tia-z5 for six
 months. With the new rate this bill
 Another house. containing three fam
 iiies of i2 persons. having three clos cts. three baths and usual fixtures. paid under the canvas rate s1z-s5 for six meter, they are using is cubic feet per day. which will make bill of sl.se for six months. With the new rate this bill would be tzso.
 flies of ten persons. having three clos els three baths. one hose and the usual Fixtures, paid under the csnvess rate. fIl1s for six months At the present time with a meter they are using lt
 cubic feet per day. which will make q bill of t4-7s for six months. With the
 neu rate this bill would be f1-ss. tThis
 would be frrroeslble because the min fruum rate should be at least t1-se for
 six months. consequently these people could use a great erai more veter-l It might be interesting to note that the per capita cousumrtion in tlrs< hcus-p fs rather low being asou- sfx gallons per tzy in the first house. \ ss es iou zs 1< fn the lsst house 1hcss water as they evi1ently are at pres-
 aI s::: :::. 2; s:: :.: .; ]. ;:: s: ;;; I; ....,
Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-01-18
Cities.

to believe that had it not been for the meters last year. we would have been without water in Columbus. But not withstanding the addition of l.l6o new services in 1903. we pumped IS per cent. less water than we did the previous year"
 At the present time the City of Wa terbury as consumer, pays nothing for it's water, the Water Department furnishing large quantities of water to the public schools, fire department. public buildings. fountains. tanks and for sprinkling purposes. from which It receives no revenue. This water Is paid for by some one, and we think 1t will be admitted that 1t is paid for by the other consumers.
 This is hardly just, for in furnish. ing water to the city free, q great deal of waste in its use follows, and the other consumers must pay for this waste by an increase in rate. It costs the citizens to produce this water and If 1t is wasted, they suffer. for they must either obtain more or be stinted themselves.
 So 1t is that the water used by the municipality as a water consumer is really paid for by the other consumers,