davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1907-11-17
FIRE LOSS BY CRIME
Property Worth More Than S20G,s
100000 Destroyed in 91 Years.

Fires started through crime or mischief have
cost the people OF the United States s210. .s5254s
In twenty-One years, according to official fire in
surance tables. To these causes the fire insur-
ance experts attribute about 81 900 OF the 2ss
fires that have occurred IN twenty-one years
Incendiarism, or. E. r. Hardy, lecturer on
fire insurance OF New York University, described
1t, the friction of a thousand dollar policy on
$500 worth OF goods" explained about per cent.
or S1ss.755.504 Of the total loss OF more than
S2,OOO.0OO.OOO. Tramps. burglars. drunken men
and lunatics are responsible for about ss.5O0.000
of the loss in 1.s46 fires. Mischievous children.
playing with matches or starting bOnires. in
the period covered by the computation probably
did moro than S1.OO0.OOO worth OF damage
rather tidy to pay for this form OF amuss-
ment-
The fire bill for crime and mischief. how
ever. is far less than the bill for carelessness
IN handling heating and lighting apparatus.
matches. cigarettes and frecrackers For their
carelessness in playing with fire in the twenty
one years people of the United States have paid
bill Of 1886 $40 O5S. Il per cent Of the total
loss, if the iternized percentages for the years
given hold for the entire period. This source
of fires is more than double the total fire bill
for electric wires, lightning. cyclones and earth
uuakes prior to the san Francisco disaster
Even forest and prairie fires can be added With
out equaling the loss through carelessness-
New-York tribune., 1907-11-17

ator set fire TO them. and according to this story
the fire soon spread TO the woodwork. Below ali
the men, except the watch on the ground floor
sound asleep. But Jenny was on watch her,
self upstairs. She saw her duty and did II Seiz-
ing some pool balls from the pool table on the rec
reation floor, where the fire burning she
hurled them down the iron stairway into the dor
mitory and shreked a warning. Her chain would
not allow her to go farther than to top of the
stairs The men were aroused. They saw the
danger. and instantly attacked the fire with ex-
tnguishers and put it out
Then there was Jocko the Monk, whose alias
when he was on his bad behavior was. Croyski.
A weakness that the fremen endeavored 20 cor
rect in Jocko was his constant effort TO clean out
all the peanut stands in the neighborhood. The
monkey would first make friends with the pro-
prtetor of the stand. and then. after having Sc
cured his full confidence, he would proceed in a
leisurely way 10 rob the stand. Naturally the
hremen did not wish to the peanut seller lose
his stock in trade, and they decided upon a meas
ure to make Jocko reform. They suggested that
some fresh roasted peanuts hot possible.
should be put in JOCko's way. The peanut
followed the advice thoroughly that Jocko
never again attempted TO secure goods under false
pretences. But Jocko, when he felt the newly
roasted and burning hot peanuts, looked at the
man with an injured expression, and promptly
hurled the nuts back into his face. Then he fell
upon him. striking and scratching with his paws.
The only thing that saved the poor italian from
being so marked up that none of his friends would
know him the prompt action of an alert fire-
man, who, seeing the danger, pulled Jocko away
and sent him TO the engine house hayloft TO med
itate upon his sins ~ ssssia<y sSaausmsnt
New-York tribune., 1907-11-17

a fireman happened to be sitting with his feet up
the windowsilI in the recreation room, the win
dows of which looked down the back yards OF
the neighboring houses. He taking his after
siesta, when suddenly flash Of light directly
in his eyes made him blink and sit up. His back
was TO the sun, that he could not account for
the bewildering light. He CHANGED look into the
back yard OF nearby house. and there was the
whole explanation of the silverware mystery
spread out before him. Betsy, the bigger Of the
two monkeys, was cautiously making her way
down the rain leaderpipe of the house, carrying
in one OF her paws a silver backed hand mirror
which had caught the and thrown the
light into the hreman's eyes. The whole thing was
clear very little investigation was all that was
needed TO show that Betsy and Bob were regular
second story" thieves. They had been pillaging
the houses OF the neghbOrhood, by night and by
day, and stealing every bright article that they
could lay their paws upon, Betsy and Bob we're
put behind bars, rot the prison bars but the bars
OF the in the Central Park menagerie.
New-York tribune., 1907-11-17

In contrast with this loss Of more than s266,-
600 900 through carelessness may be cited tne
fact that excluding San Francisco, cyclones
floods earthquakes and suns rays caused not
more than thirty-sfx fires and led TO nre loss
of only SAB 900 in tWenty-One years lightning
In a like period did only $4.573.395 of fire damage
and started only 5,919 fires. To forest fires and
prairie fires with their disastrous sweep, nre
loss OF only $92. 900 is attributable or less
than the bill for defective hues' Whlch a nItIe
forethOught would have saved and Tor Whlcn
careleSSness was responsible.
In addition to figures such as these, the m
surance people have kept such accurate account
of all fires in this period~that they answer OIL
hand such questions as these;
How many human hair stores burned IN 1our-
teen yearS?"
Answer: "FOrty-three-
How many bird stores went up in smoke In.
ten years."
Answer: Twelve"
They also know how many dwellings,, poarolnS
houses and hotels had fires in them; what the
tendency of cider mills is TO burn, and nave
actually recorded such queer facts as "tnlrty-nV9
jas burned in 1895" "230 police and fire stations
burned in twenty-One years" and that in eleven
wears seventy-twO water tanks, which seem 20
be incOmbustible enough, have needed the at
tendance of firemen
New-York tribune., 1907-11-17
Anecdotes About Dogs, Cats
and Monkeys That Live
in the Engine Houses.

Alfred NJ YOovnes secretary of the New York Fire De
partrnent has book about New 9orks nreneLl
which is called Fighters and Their Pets ana py
courtesy Of publishers. Harper & Bros some ahec
dotes from the book here retoid
Rags is the famous dog of Engine Company Y.
She sleeps in the stall Of Jim, the engine horse
and they are fast friends. If Rags doesn't go out
OF the stall when the alarm rings Jim will take
her UP by the back of the neck and run TO the pole
with her When visitors come to the house and
give the horses sugar Rags will seize hold or them
by their clothing and so present Jim's claims 10
the first and biggest lump Should the horse crop
the sugar. Rags will retrieve the lump, bring IL 10
Jim in his STALL and place 1t so that ne can rec It.
One of the famous cats OF the FIRE Depaf lhieii1
was Barney Of Engine Company %. BARNEY
great feat was sliding down the pole IN the hre-
house, and ne did IL gracefully as any iheHioei
OF the company True, he did not come down with
rush ike the men, but he would wrap his four
paws around the brass rod and let himsef down
with great rapidity Sometimes the nremen would
play a trick on Barney by placing dog at fhe
foot OF the pole. The cat would Immediately nouce
this and stop halfway down. He would carefully
take his bearings watch for opening drop on
top of the dog scratch him once or twice ana theh
rush 70 the cellar.
One OF Barney's friends in this hrehouse is hne
Dalnatian. He Will go into burning buildings no
matter how hot or smoky, and he is always TO be
oand near the pipe where the men do their heaviest
work At one FIRE, few years ago, IL Is matter
u record that ne climbed regulation Fire De-
psrtinent ladder. He went up one story. and then
ss,e,ed the building through window the sashes
u which were burning on Dotn SIDES.
New-York tribune., 1907-11-17
TO BEsTOW WELL.

But the owners Of money recommended to
beStoW 1t well. Clement NJ On golden Julius
says. Let 1t abound 10 the glory of God" When
rightly employed money may Go much good. and
this Is declared by Clement y the coin which
bears this pronOuncement, 1T dminishes evil and
Increases good" And on another com a generous
giver is described. He hath opened his hand 10
the needy DO not forget the poor" is the rec
ommeHdatton the coins of two pontihs \
piece OF the value Of threepenny-bit bears this
inscription, "A little 10 the just" and a much
smaller coin is the trusn 1T hurts less" For
bid that | should glory i'm Thee" was the
molto on the coin medal of Plus V which was
made a memorial of the hattie oS Iepanto. He
who gives TO the poor Will not wait a cOnSong
reHectlon. as 1t suggests that the reward of the
Just VIII be bestowed soon on the charitable man.
Use moderately ike man. saying that
aWakenS universal response.
That IL may be siven.' tells the purpose for
which the coin was struck-that is 10 say. TO be
passed on TO those in want He lends to the Lord
who has mercy on the poor. is the inscription on
a silver piece OF about eightpence nominal value.
And the series goes in various phrases. all
more less directed to the objects. already noted
These the OF wealth which Popes
called the attention ofxthe pOssessors of money.
and this throws light on the character OF the.
New-York tribune., 1907-11-17
JOCK0 GOT THE MONEY.

Down in Arverne Long Island, one OF the COM
panies had for its mascot a monkey named Jocko.
He was quite a favorIte in his way, and he did
some very interesting tricks. When his master
wanted his plug OF tobacco he used to touch his
waistcoat pocket and Immediately Jocko would
iump up take out the tobacco, and proudly hand
ii 10 the fireman. This regarded as "A great
trick and was particularly appreciated by his mas
ter until one fine day when the joke did not seem
so funny The fireman made the. usual motion TO
show Jocko that he wanted his tobacco but he mad
quite forgotten that hour or so before he had
placed a roll of bills, amounting to S62, IN that
same pocket This time Jocko seized the money
instead of the tobacco, and away he sped Ike q
flash of lightning up through the sleeping rooms
Fy the time the fremen caught up with him Jocko
was quietly eating a 80 BILL and that was all or
the roll that the fireman could find.
There formerly pair OF monkeys IN Ine
9th battalion headquarters, 4Sth street ana EgIltn
avenue 1t was not many days after their arrival
al the house when the fremen began TO LOOK az
one another in great astOnishInent. wlndtaH OF
silver suddenly descended upon the engine mouse.
Where were all the silver backed brushes and the
the new hand mirrors belong? And the silver
nankin rings? What had they to do with the nre
honse equipment? These articles we're found IN
verious places-on the mems beds, in the offcers
rooms In the chiefs quarters in the lockers IN
tbe recreation room. and on one occasion in the
,sgon Of the chief himself. The situation became
yery much strained in that particular engine house
Men eyed one another suspiciously. They all wore
worried look Some of them began to lose sleep
over the situation For some days their efforts 10
solve the mystery were unavailing.
New-York tribune., 1907-11-17
THE TIPPING HABIT.
Does 1t Undermine Integrity and
Lead to Graft?

dispatch from Washington states that the
United States has given official recognition 10 the
tipping evil. issuing official instructions as TO the
amount Of tips that be paid by our naval ofIl-
GERS Thinking people recognize the tipping evil
as simply unobtrusve form of bribery which is
doing much TO undermine the high integrity OF
mankind.
If YOU tip a waiter In order 10 secure good service
II a waiter u compelled 10 tip the chef I'm order
to secure the best cuts OF meat for his custom
ers; II the head waiter must be tipped in order TO
secure good seat and waiter; II Pullman porter
is tipped in order to better service than your
neighbOr what IS the difference in principle be
tween these acts and the acts OF n railroad in
tipping you. providing you give it favors in the
principle between these first named and a tip 20 the
nubIic official for convenient blindness that will be
and many forms Of business dishonesty are all
traceable 20 the general principle that must have
less OF how they obtained. a noted judge has
recently fined certain corporation because rail
der If this same Judge could not have himself
arrested and fined because he had paid walters and
better meats than his neighbor at the next table?
If the principle is wrong for one Why is II not
wrong for the other? 49,. ,
this country leads people gently and unconscious
". into the frame Of mind where rebates rake
offs, political bribery, etc, look harmless ana
II you go 10 a hotel you pay high rates, which
should insure you good service and a square deal
TF the man at the next table slips the waiter 81
and secures what he is not properly entitled 70
inducement then that man is encouraging a sys-
TEN that naturally and rapidly leads rebates
and rake-offs in al commercial Ife. Why not Kill
the system at its fountain head, instead OF trying
to xiii 1t by pluckng few hairs from its tail.
Just as long the Tipping system" is recognized
long will the foes to honest commercial life.
bates rake-offs. political hold-ups etc. kill and
walters, porters, etc. by giving them money as
tips, in order to secure something your neighbor
New-York tribune., 1907-11-17
L PETS OF NEW YORK'S FIRE FIGHT

quickly to clear the way at street crossings, and
the driver of this engine has souty asserted that
the horses showed increased confidence and speed
when Barney piloted their advance.
Among the firemen's pets are a few 81. Bernards
One of them, Prince, is quartered in Engine Com
pany 45 He knows his business so well that when
an alarm sounds he darts into the street and
barks loudly to attract the attention OF drivers and
pedestrians calling them 10 clear the way for
the engine. Then he returns takes up his position
in front Of the Quarters and does watch duty until
the company comes home. Under no circumstances
does he allow anybody to enter the firehouse dur
ing the absence OF the men.
The moment Bill, a Dalmatian In n downtown
company saw any of the visitors the iremen
themselves, giving the horses Jumps Of sugar BIZ
nothing short Of main, strength could get him off
until he. too. received his share of the sweets.
lust as soon as he received his first lump he
satisfied and would chew away contentedly until
he was called down. But he must get that sugar
ArSf
New-York tribune., 1907-11-17
THROUGH TWELVE MILES OF WATER

These bells have been heard through seven.
ten and twelve miles Of during this au-
tumn's official tests. The record has been
twelve miles. made both the Atlantic and
the lakes.
When operated from shore stations they are
mounted on tripods Of heavy I-beams securely
fixed to the bottom at any distance from
shore, TO which connection is made by armored
submarine cable supplying the electricity for
moving the capper. The lighthouse board will
install the first such electric shore station at
Detour at the mouth of st. Mary's River.
through which steam vessels enter Lake Su-
perior. Later six other such turning points on
the Great Lakes VIII be equipped.
There is also a submarine bell attachment
for buoys. the clapper being uniformly actuated
Ivy a combination Of ratchets and springs which
store up power obtained from the motion of the
waves.
Both sending and receiving apparatus have
been installed upon our submarine boats Octopus
and C,uttlefish also the tender which keeps
track of them during the trials. These vessels
communicate with one another by striking off
New-York tribune., 1907-11-17

the Morse telegraphic code their bells or
10y using other prearranged signals
The ability of submarine boats to talk while
under water, while engaged in an attack on an
enemy, renders warfare all the more diabOlical.
Yet in times Of peace IT removes the greater
dangers of submarine navigation. The other
day, when one of these tests being made
with the Octopus, which had been long while
under water, her tender, using its new sub
marine bell, slgnaed:
How are you?"
Everything O. X. Eating" answered the
Octopus from IT'S hiding place somewhere down
under the whiteCaps.
JOHN ELFRETH WATKINS
New-York tribune., 1907-11-17
HEARING BOTH SIDES.

Last summer there died Washington a law
yer who for many years had shocked a large num-
Der of his friends by lis rather liberal views touch
ing religion.
A friend OF the deceased. who cut short a ca.
madam trip TO hurry back to Washington for the
purpose OF attending the last rites his colleagN
entered the late lawyers home minutes after
the beginning OF the service.
What part OF the service is thIs?'' he inquired
In a whisper OF another legal friend standing in
the crowded hallway.
tive Just come myself" said the other 'rout
believe they've opened for thA Adefence."-Harper's
Weekly.
New-York tribune., 1907-11-17
MONKEY GAVE THE ALARM.

One OF the pei9 OF Hook and Ladder Company
90 in Mercer street. the old headquarters of the
Fire Department, was a monkey named Jenny
ter night, after they had been wet through and
their clothing frozen stiff One OF them put his
clothes over radiator the top floor OF the
building to thaw them out. There were some
matches IN the pockets. and the heat of the radl-
New-York tribune., 1907-11-17
HEARING A DISTANT SHIPS SCREW

Submarine whisperings other than those of
the sunien bell are picked up by the delicate
microphones. The sounds of the propellers of
passing vessels often plainly audible If the
neighboring ship is crossing from starboard to
port her screw will be heard clearly in
the starboard than in the port microphone.
Ships without receivers can hear the bell 1t
is distinctly audible to those who put their ears
to the inner surface of the hull, well below the
water line. Thus it viii be possible for a light
vessel to signal to any deep draft ship,
when it is well outside the range of aerial fog
signals
These cir signals, hitherto depended upon
during black or foggy weather, frequently
not heard at all. and even when heard fre
quently misleading as to direction, even at one
or two miles a vessel failing TO hear them
may be a safe and in her estimated
position, yet she must stop anchor or alter
her course because she is uncertain.
The submarine bell be heard in thickest
fog as far, approximately, as a light vessels
light can be seen on the clearest night, accord
ing to the recent report of the commander in
chief of the British navy, which is making tests.
Thus does the fog demon, TO whom hundreds of
thousands Of innocent lives have been paid
tribute appear TO have been practically con-
quered. Not only every lghtship, but every
turning point and danger spot the sea, can
be equipped with a means by which every pass
ing navigator can obtain location and direction
within q half point and which Will give constant
warning in all conditions of sea and wind. In
snow, milky fog or inky night, it repeats under
meath the silent waters a musical note of
guidance TO the ship which may be heading 10
destruction.
New-York tribune., 1907-11-17
STUNS.

little girl was being put to bed one summe.
night and after she had said her prayers her
mother kissed her goodnight. and said:
Now, go to sleep, dear. Don't be afraid. for
Gods angels watching you
In a short time, while the mother and father
were at tea. small voice from upstairs was heard.
Mammal"
''Yes. little one: what Is it7''
Gods angels are buzzing around, and ones IN
ten me."-Harper's Weekly. Y
New-York tribune., 1907-11-17
IgG TO LEAD THE WAY.

rsnsfs YRS Barney dog as well as Barney cat
The dog belonged to Engine Company 25. in East
sh street. He was a true pathmaker for the
a'fres in his company. AS soon as an alarm came
: ne would dash out Of the house and down the
.uett yelping a warning that the engine was
ry'au'ng. and that and beast must stand aside.
- threatening bark caused absent minded people
New-York tribune., 1907-11-17
SUCCEEDS WHERE TELEGRAPH WON'T

That the wireless telephone will succeed
where the wireless telegraph sometimes fails
was indicated by another incident since these
tests began the other day at Norfolk. The bat
teship Kentucky ran aground five miles from
the navy yard, and> the wireless telegraph sta
ton at the yard tried TO hail her, but constant
Interruptions prevented. The Virginia, with its
new wireless telephone installation lay at the
yard, and noting that the Kentucky could not
understand called her up by telephone. Al
though the stranded vessel had no regular tele-
phone equipment. its regular wireless operator
caught the words in his helmet and signalled
that he had received them.
In action the wireless telephone will be useful
not only for communication between the ad-
miral and his captains, but with torpedo boats,
colliers and dispatch boats on detached service
and with Iightships lighthouses and other shore
stations. Except in actual battle there would
he little danger Of Interference from the enemy,
because. unlike the wireless telegraph, Its
range is limited to radius Of twelve miles.
But even in close action 1t can be used to
transmit messages IN code words. If the mast
carrying the web of transmitting wires-the
aerial "antennR''-WeTe shot away by the
enemy a wire run up on an oar elevated on
deck would give sufficient connection for the
wireless telephone.
In fact, the whole nervous system of the navy
is being regenerated and made more sensitive.
The United States government Is now the first
TO generally adopt for its men-of-war not only
the wireless telephone. but another new wire
less hearing equipment now being fitted to
twenty-five vessels Of the navy, not to mention
forty-six nghtships and two army transports.
New-York tribune., 1907-11-17
EARDRUMs FOR EACH SHIP.

These ships having eardrums installed
and, come OF them, tongues. Divers who have
worked under the sea have known for many
generations what a good and dependable con-
ductor of sound water is. But, just as was the
case with electricity. It not until many
years after the pioneer investigators had learned
the law Of the phenomenon that any one had
the genius TO make Of II. But in our gen.
Grafton no known force or phenomenon Of nat
ure is allowed to repose embarrassed. Some time
ago Professor Lucien L. Blake. with A. b.
Johnson, secretary of the United States light
house board began experiments with the old
frigate Constitution, and found that signals
sounded under water from point one-third OF
q mile distant could be heard through the old
vessels thick oak hull planks submerged fifteen
feet other investigators followed into the field,
and at last the navy IS TO profit by perfected
apparatus which will transmit sounds through
the water as far the new wireless telephone
will carry them through the air-twelve miles.
The eardrums now being fitted 10 the naval
vessels are a pair Of hollow chambers about the
size and shape Of ordinary wash boilers, fas-
tened to the inner skin of each ship. One is
against the port and the other against the star
board side in the forepeak of the hull as far
below the water line possible. In each drum
there is, immersed in liquid. delicate micro
New-York tribune., 1907-11-17

phoDe-an instrument which magnifes small
SOUNDS as the microscope magnifies small OBJ
:o3ts. The microphone's magaification of sound
Is so great that the feet of fly walking upon it
VIII appear as loud as the hoofs of a horse upon
pavement This instrument in each eardrum OF
the snip proportionately increases sound vibra-
lions coming through the water and striking
the VessePs hull. From each drum emanate
IKE nerves, electric wires, running to a battery
ooX which supplies the power and thence to an
indicator box" where the sounds are repro
duced for the guidance of the ships navigator.