davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Grit-advocate., 1907-10-18
North Dakota Farmers Happy.

Fargo, N. D.-Because OF the high
prices being paid for all cereals, North
Dakota farmers. especially those of the
Red River valley, are receiving greater
returns from their crops this year than
for any of the last half-doZen seasons.
Outside the famous valley the actual
yield was not so large as last season,
but it was taken off cheaply. and the
farmers are realizing heavily. Wheat
Is selling at more than 81 per bushel
at all stations in the state, and at somo
barley has almost reached that figure,
while fax ranges much higher than
those figures. Oats and corn are bring
ing bigger prices than ever before.
The Grit-advocate., 1907-10-18
Aute Kills -Four This Time.

Pottstown, Pa-As the result of a
grade-crossing automobile accident on
the Philadelphia & Reading railway at
Keim street here. four persons were
killed and one probably fatally injured.
The automobile which was run down
on the crossing by Pottstown ex-
press, contained a party Of five per-
sons The dead are:
Jacob Reese, aged 55.
Mrs. Jacob Reese. aged 48.
Mrs. A. w. Emery Jr.. aged AZ.
Belva Emery, aged l year, child OF
Mrs. Emery.
Anthony w. Emery, owner and
driver Of the automobile, was the only
one of the party to escape death, and
his thigh was broken and he received
Internal injuries.
The Grit-advocate., 1907-10-18
The mound City"

St. Louis rejoices in the sobriquet
Of Mound City from the fact that the
original settlers found there many
elevations which it is supposed were
relics Of that strange people who
dwelt in the Ohio and Mississippi val
leys and are known to modern times
only as the Mound Builders. No ade-
Quate explanation has yet been found
of their strange mode OF leaving
memorials of their existence. The
limestone bluffs on which a part OF
St. Louis stands furnish a solid foun.
dation for the business buildings.
The Grit-advocate., 1907-10-18
Penitentiary For Schmitz.

San Francisco. Cal.--According to
the district attorneys office, Eugene
SchmitZ, former mayor OF San Fran
cisco, but now convict. has lost the
right to appeal to a higher court
through blunder of his attorney,
Charles H. Fairall, and must 60 to the
penitentiary forthwith.
Moreover, the claim is made that
after Fairall discovered his mistake,
he sought and procured change in
the record of the transcript of appeal
to cover his own error
These recommendations in ink oc.
cur in the printed volume. and the
prosecution refused to accept service
in the matter.
The Grit-advocate., 1907-10-18
She Was WiIlinu.

Yes says the husband. II have
consented to accept the nomination :
Il am so glad the party is begin.
ming to recognize your merit" beams
the wife.
Now my dear" the husband con,
tinues, you know that political af.
fairs are not love feasts. by any
means. You must expect to see me
vilitied and attacked in a scandalous
manner. No doubt the opposition will
try to dig up sensational rumors about
me, and all that sort of thing, but you
must not"
We'll" she interrupts. Il am really
glad of it. You have always been
strangely silent about whether or not
you ever were engaged to anyone be.
fore you met me-"
The Grit-advocate., 1907-10-18
The Way Of the Child.

A small boy who had recently
passed his NTH birthday was ridins
in a car with his mother. when they
were asked the customary question:
How old is the boy?" After being
told the correct age. which did not
require fare. the conductor passes
on to the next person.
The boy sat quite still as II ponder
ing over some question. and then.
concluding that full information had
not been given. called loudly to the
conductor. then at the other end Of
the car: And mothers 81"
The Grit-advocate., 1907-10-18
A Youna Composer,

Rachel. aged IL. wrote an compo-
sition on wild flowers In which she
praised the arbutus. the liverwort,
the spring beauty. the blood root, and
all of the other blossoms of dell and
dale. But she wrote on both sides
Of her sheet Of paper. and when she
asked her father, who was an editor.
to publish her article, he called her
attention to that fact
you've written on both sides of
your paper" said he.
well" was the reply. land don't
you print on both sides Of yours?"
The Grit-advocate., 1907-10-18
Two Mourn Mrs. Chadwick.

Woodstock. Ont.-T'he funeral OF
Mrs. Cassie Chadwick was held Octo-
ber 14th The burial was In the fam'
ily plot in the English burying ground.
Mrs. ChadwicL- son and her sister.
Mrs. Campbell were the only mourn
ers.
The Grit-advocate., 1907-10-18
Banks Suffer Most.

Banks Suffer Most.
The banks and trust companies
were the worst sufferers. They lost
$2,0S0,590, as against only $685. in
the first half Of 1906. The public
service corporations and the like were
the next hardest hit. They parted, in
voluntarily, with $93G,335, as against
$985,380 in the first half Of 1906 and
$520,901 in the first half of 1905. Next
come general business houses, which
lost $S19,372 through dishonest en-
ployes, as compared with 81 .020,373 in
the first half of 1906. Miscellaneous
institutions, breweries. ice cream
saloons, stores, etc., were robbed OF
$S17,S74, as against only $459,l59 in
the same months fast year.
Beneficial associations had their
funds depleted to the extent of s400,.
703, as against $142,934 in 1906 and
$296,876 in 1905. More than $3.50. 900
in court trust funds were stolen. an
excess Of only $4,000 over the same
period in 1906. In the first half of
1905 $795.513 Of court funds disap-
peared through speculation. The
transportation companies lost $104,-
552. as against $75.9G4 in 1906 and
panies were the smallest sufferers
against $137, 485 in 1906 and $13,5Gl in
1905. This does not include funds
juggled in dodging insurance commits
Where the Stolen Cash Went.
About one-half of these embezzled
millions went directly into Wall street
the experts say, where they were swal-
lowed up in unlucky speculations. One
half of the remainder was lost in
gambling on the Iace tracks and in
poolrooms. The remainder was spent
in the old-fashioned traditional way,
on wine and women. The automobile
dealers got their share. When the
dooms of one of these New York bank
defaulters was broken into the sleuths
found more than two bushels of cham
pagne corks. which the defaulter's
"best girl" had kept as souvenirs.
They finally caught the fellow him.
self. as he was walking at daybreak,
with the young woman, on the shores
of Lake Mahopac. The detectives hid
all night in the bushes near the
woman's cottage before they found
their prey. When confronted, the man
made no resistance.
According to the bank detectives,
the banks of New York now have their
system Of cages, bookkeeping and
espionage SO perfected that, unless the
cashier is in the plot, not more than
100000 can be stolen without detec.
ton. In general, only one days loose
cash can be taken. unless the thief
and his confederates make use Of the
correspondence bureau of the institu.
tion.
The Grit-advocate., 1907-10-18
Boys Arm Broken by Fall.

Aftea. Wyo.-Eight-year-old Orson
Toanaa while playing at school. fell
from bench only eighteen inches in
height. breaking his right arm near
the shoulder and dislocated 1t at the
elbow.
The Grit-advocate., 1907-10-18
Total for the three pc.

April is the favolite month with EN-
,ezzlers. They begin their operations
with the first gladstone MARBLES OF
spring, just before the race tracks are
swept up for the season. The de-
falcations by months, this year, were
as follows:
The Grit-advocate., 1907-10-18
CASH STOLEN
FROM BANKS
OVER FIVE MILLION DOLLARS
LOST By pEPosiToRs OF THE
UNITED STATES ALONE.
WALL ST. GETS BULK
WILD SPECULATION CLAIMS MOST
OF THE MONEY TAKEN FROM
VARIOUS BANKS.

New York.-The bonding companies
OF this city have just found out how
much the clever rogues here and else
stolen during the first six months of
the present year The total, compared
with the corresponding period in 1906
The Grit-advocate., 1907-10-18
as follows s.:

In April, 1905, the nimble thieves
got way with $2,333,04G. and in the
following April toey made their big
gest hauls
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1907-05-02
Gives an Extension

AS a settlement of the diff
culties attending the digging
of the Boyer Cut-of No. 2 Of
the Harrison Pottawattamie
drainage ditch the joint board
yesterday afternoon passed a
resolution extending the time
for the completion Of the work
until December 81, 1907, upon
condition that the Western
Dredging company, which has
the contract, give an additional
bond in the sum of $4,000 to
be forfeited upon the date men
toned if the work is not COM
pleted. The bond now in force
is $21,80O. Chairman Spencer
of the board and the county
auditors of Harrison and Potta-
wattamie counties will pass up
on the bond submitted and
their action will be confirmed
by the board when it convenes
May 81, to which time adjourn
ment was taken. The Willow
and Allen creek contracts were
extended to May l.
This proposition, which is a
sort of a compromise, was
offered by the Western Dredg-
ing company in the afternoon,
the greater portion of the morn
ing having been occupied in
secret session. 1t is understood
that the board had practically
come to the conclusion that the
company would be compelled
to assign it's contract, the alter
native of a forfeiture being
given. These two propositions,
however, were given up when
the company came in with the
third one.
Alfred e. Croft, general man.
ager of the Featherstone Foun-
dry and Iron company arrived
yesterday from Chicago and
Emmett Tinley, appearing as
attorney for the Western
Dredging company of Omaha,
which is using a Featherstone
machine, asked that he be given
permission to address the board.
Some of the members took the
position that their dealings
were not with the Featherstone
company, but the courtesy of a
hearing was finally extended to
the representative.
Mr.. Croft acknowledged that
the work had been unsatisfac-
tory, and said that it was the
first job they had turned out in
this manner. He suggested
that they be given a chance to
commence over and a new
dredge would be put into use,
one that would do the work.
His estimate as to the time be-
fore they could get started on
the job again was about six
months.
Samuel Katz of the Western
Dredging company informed
the board that they could have
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1907-05-02
RAILROAD CROSSINGS

At meeting with Mr.. Mcrrick, an
engineer from the Office of Mr.. Rettinp.
house, Division Engineer of the c. & N.
w. r. R., at Missouri Valley, Thurs
day. April 10. 1907, the crossing of the
Soldier river cutoff channel with the
Soldier Valley railroad at Elm lake and
with the Sioux City and Pacific railroad
near the center of section IL, township
so, range 45. was agreed upon. as fol-
lows:
The channel be spanned by Platte
Girders, on masonry piers built at such
height as to give clear headway of 10
feet above the grade line of said chan
mel and of such length to clear the
channel and BERN, at the point ofcross-
ing. This agreement subject to the ap-
proval of the Chief Engineer of the
Chicago and Northwestern railroad
company.
ESTIMATE OF COST
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1907-05-02

another machine ready for use
in about sixty days, if they are
permitted to continue on the
contract.
Both of the companies repre-
sented were anxious over the
situation, as the throwing up
of the contract meant consid
cradle to both of them in fu-
ture propositions. They did
not look with favor upon the
idea of having it said that they
could not dig the ditch. While
the matter was not put in just
this matter before the board, it
was stated in other Words
Nonpareil.
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1907-05-02

parties, and in case of changes
in the contract, or in methods
Of handling the work, | ask
that they give full instructions
to better carry out their wishes
in the matter.
Respectfully Submitted,
Seth Dean,
Construction Engineer H. &
P. Drainage District No. 1.
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1907-05-02
THE REPORT OF
ENGINEER DEAN

To the Joint Board of Super
visors of Harrison and
Pottawatamie Coun=
ties, Iowa.
Gentlemen:-I make my re-
port on the progress and pres
ent condition of the work urdar
my charge for the month past
as follows. At the time of my
last report, viz: March goth,
there was still considerable
frost in the ground and the AL
len and Willow creek boats had
not yet commenced work, but
soon after they both began op-
erations and have been making
satisfactory progress since, the
Willow creek boat being now
about station 24S, having made
280O fe:t since April LIST and
taken out about $4,000 cubic
yards of earth. The boat is
now within the town limits of
Missouri Valley and at the
present rate of progress will
cross the railroad track about
May goth, arrangements for
which have been made between
the company and the contract
ors.
On April LIST l certified up to
the auditor an estimate of 55,-
e53 cubic yards, work done
from February LIST to April 1st
amounting to $4173.97. Of this
amount 20 per cent or $843.79
was retained and S3339.18 al
lowed the contractor.
The Allen creek boat has
made 1900 feet of ditch, being
now at station 513 and having
taken out about $4,000 cubic
yards since April LIST. The
boat crossed the railroad track
on April 9th, requiring but four
hours actual working time to
pass through. A serious acci-
dent occurred to the railroad
company's bridge crew in try
ing to handle their temporary
girder bridge. Three Of their
men were injured and the
dredge delayed about 80 hours.
| am pleased to say that none
of the dredge crew or the boat
was injured and no blame for
the accident attaches to the
contractor or his crew. I have
certified an estimate April LIST
for 25,761.4 cubic yards of
work done from February 1st
to April 1st amounting to
1892. 10. Of this amount 20
per cent was retained or S386.42
and $1545.68 allowed the con-
tractor. No complaints have
come to me during the month
from any of the land owners
adjoining these bitches in re-
gard to the character or pro-
gress Of the work on these two
sections. The time limit on
the contracts on both the Will
low and Allen creek sections
expire today and l recommend
that each be extended.
Regarding the Boyer river
work: This boat was at sta
tion 9 at the time of my last
report March 2V having cut
from station 20 up stream
HOO feet at that point. The
machine had been cutting about
16 to 18 inches of frozen earth
and was then working under
very adverse conditions. Soon
after that the boat was turned
round and moved back, and is
now.at or near station 80, hav-
ing made about 1000 feet in
distance and taken out 1890
cubic yards Of earth since that
time. The work Of this boat
has not met the specifications
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1907-05-02

and no work has been certified
under this contract. AS the
time limit has now expired for
the completion of this section
and it is imperative that the
board take some action toward
fastening the construction of
this outlet section for the Allen
and Willow bitches, | think it
proper that l lay before this
board a true statement of the
past record and the present
conditions and prospects for
completion of the work within
a reasonable time with the
dredge as now operated. AS
you already know, work was
commenced by the Western
Dredging company last June,
1.-THE first car of lumber for this
boat coming in on May 28th,
and the workmen had the
frame Of the hull up and COM
menced planking it over on
June 18th. On July 18th the
first car of machinery arrived
and successive shipments came
along so that the boat was for
genera! purposes practically
completed by October 1st. The
first dirt for experimental pur-
poses was thrown on October
18th. From that time until
December 18th the weather
conditions were excellent for
this kind of work and the West
ern Dredging company seem
not to have spared money or
effort to make the machine
work, either in the matter of
repairs or of experienced men
to handle the dredge, but up to
that time, viz: December 18th,
not more than $500 cubic yards
in all had been dug by it. The
reason for this in my opinion
was clearly the fault of the
machine as a whole. At your
board meeting in Council
Bluffs on November Goth it will
be remembered Messrs. Gala
han and Katz were present and
after explaining the changes
and improvements in the
dredge that they expected to
make to put it in shape to do
the work satisfactory and
which their manager, Mr.. Allen.
had assured them could be
made in about ten days, at my
suggestion and earnest recon-
mendation the time was by you
extended two months, to en-
able the company to get the
boat iEto satisfactory working
order.
At your meeting January
goth, my report showed that
very little more work had been
done on the ditch, but consid-
cradle changes had been made
in the machine and as the
ground was then frozen hard
1
and a fair test of the dredge
could not then be made to show
what it could do under normal
conditions, | recommended and
you granted another months
extension of time. During this
interval the contractors con.
tinued to experiment with the
boat, making changes where it
was thought that an improve
ment could be made, and also
making changes in the personel
of the crew who were operat-
ing the dredge with a view to
better and more effective man.
agement.
On or about January 18th,
Mr.. Niles, representing the
Featherstone company, came
from Chicago to confer with
the Western Dredging company
about the condition of the boat
and learn the reason why the
machine was not doing salts
factory work. The result of
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1907-05-02

From this time until the board
met again February goth, most
of the time was spent in re-
pairs and changes on the boat,
the ground being heavily frozen
at this time so that but little
satisfactory digging could have
been done anyway. At that
meeting l recommended and
you granted a further time ex-
tension to March Goth. During
this month the crew got the
boat into what the foreman
was pleased to call working
order, and actually cut about
900 feet of ditch, taking out
about ll,O00 cubic yards of
earth. During this time the
machine was cutting about 16
inches of frozen earth or break
ing ice Of that thickness in the
lake in front of the boat; did
not consider this a fair test of
what the machine or crew
ought to do, so recommended
at your March meeting a fur
ther extension of time to your
April meeting, in order to give
the Featherstone company a
full and ample opportunity to
prove to my satisfaction that
the machine was capable under
normal conditions of doing the
required work in accordance
with the specifications, barring
the time limit for completion
which as soted above had long
since expired and been renewed
from time to time.
About March 1, an accident
occurred. A cast metal at the
top of the A frame gave way.
causing the boom to fall and
doing considerable damage to
other portions of the upper
works. This was not an unex-
pected failure, as the weak con-
struction had been pointed out
to the company, and its failure
predicted by parties competent
to DO so some weeks before,
but no precaution had been
taken to guard against the
failure, or to have proper extra
parts or fittings on hand to re-
pair the break without delay
when the the accident occurred.
A months delay when the boat
was wholly idle followed this
accident. Digging was again
resumed on April 6. From
that time until the present, the
machine has cut about 1000
feet, and taken out about
l7,340 cubic yards of earth.
The total amount Of work done
by this dredge from the begin
ming up to this time, (six months
since digging commenced9 is
3I,715 cubic yards. A fair cut
put for a boat Of this class, rum
ming with two crews, in this
KIND OF material is $4,000 yards
per month. So far the work
done has not met the require
ments Of the contract and the
company has failed to demon
strate that it can be made to
do so. The board should bear
in mind that the Willow and
Allen Creek boats are coming
along at a good rate, and will
likely complete their work
within the next four months,
and it is imperative that this
Boyer channel be completed at
that time # possible, to receive
the water they will each bring
down, and further, that within
the next month the rainy sea-
son will be at hand when floods
may be expected in the Boyer
river, and unless better pre-
gress is being made or at least
satisfactory assurance fur
nished that the work will be
completed this season, much
dissatisfaction and possible
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1907-05-02

The seventh biennial conyen-
ton of the Iowa Federation of
Women's Clubs will be held at
Oskaloosa May IA to IL. Oska-
loosa women are now busily en-
gagged making preparations to
receive the guests. Every wo-
man of Oskaloosa on the re-
ceiving committee will wear a
white ribbon badge bearing the
word Oskaloosa. The program
which has been prepared con-
tains the names Of many of the
most prominent women of the
state. The meetings are held
in the Methodist church, begin
ming the evening Of May IA at
8 O'Clock. Bee.
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1907-05-02
Death Of Nathaniel Mefford.
We have lust learned with

Death OF Nathaniel Mefford.
We have just learned with
regret of the death of our old
and much respected friend N.
Mefford, who died at his home,
near Woodbine last Sunday and
was laid to rest on Monday, in
the Woodbine Cemetery-age
u years. Wemade his acquain-
tance away back in 1859, COM
ing to Harrison county as the
democratic candidate for rep
resentative in the legislature in
1859 against his neighbor, Judge
Stephen King, without friends,
Nathan Mefford met us, invited
us to his home, introduced us
to his friends, and by his infu-
ence assisted us in carrying the
county for our ticket, and from
that day to this we have been
warm personal and political
friends, and today | drop a tear
to his memory. His passing on
reminds us that we are all near
ing that far off country where
the pure in heart shall see God.
The deceased was one of Gods
noblemen, an honest man. firm
in his convictions, strict in bu-
siness, and true to his friends.
We shall always cherish his
memory as that of a dear and
valued friend. D. NJ n
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1907-05-02
tions thereto. .12o So ls9 So
lich will receive a very small

Which will receive very small direct
benefit. These tracts lie principally Total unit
along the Missouri river The degree sessnlen
of benefit is fixed by commission at
later stage in the proceeding The
attention OF the land owners is especial AT a me
ly called to the duties of the commits engineer
sion on benefits. While this improve house. Di
ment will be of great benefit to the W. r. R.
general public as we'll as to the owners day, Apri
OF the land directly effected, the law Soldier ri
provides that each tract of land shall Soldier v
only bear its proportion of the expense with the
measured by the degree of benefit re- near the {
ce1ved. so, range
The number of acres of land effected lows:
by the improvement is as follows: The ch;
Private lands. ...... ..3S492 % acres Girders, Q
Public highways. ........ 1854 60 acres height as
Soldier Valley r R....... 1863 81 acres feet abov
Sioux City & Pacific mel and
R....... los % acres channel a
----- ing. Thi
Total ....... 1854 25 acres proval OF
Town lots in Orson go Chicago
Town lots in Mon company
DAMN and addi-
Soldier river cut off 3Oi bottom. 6S3OS
Soldier river cutoff 45! bottom. -. 6l2972
Dry creek ditch Observation-Disclosures. S715
McWilliams lake ditch. 6S73
East Soldier ditch. Observation-Disclosures. 73941
Nelson ditch. Observation-Disclosures. 1929
Spooner ditch (New Worl). .......... 7sS4l
Spooner ditch enlarging old channels 2413l
Smith lake ditch Observation-Disclosures. lGs14
Burcham Lynn lake. ke.................. 44239
Pratt lake ditch. ....................... 1876
Entertainments. Observation-Disclosures. 1000
olulce ways.. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.
lnlets all G pipe $3.50. each..........
lnlets c and earthware pipe, $3.50. each
Right of way s55.5 q $4,000 each....
Respectfully Sui
Nebraska City. Nebraska, April 25, 1907.