davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-02-17

ingJ were standing, but they were moss
covered and deserted. The old bank build
ing was standing in 1862, but it was moss
covered and dilapidated and vacant.
One of the many incidents which go to
show the causes which led up to ST.
Stephens decline and fall has been re-
lated by Judge Hurinsco Austill, son of
jeremiah Austill one of the most famous
of Alabamas pioneers. Judge Austill
said that he had often heard his father
relate how on a lovely winters morning
he had stood on a bluff overlooking the
Tombigbee river, not far from st. Steph-
ems, and saw the great Indian chief
Pushtamaha, padding his canoo, heavily
loaded with furs and SKINS down the
river. Being a friend of the chief he
asked him where he was going, and the
reply came, "Mobila ma lala''-"To Mo-
bile, my friend" This, perhaps, tells the
true story Of st. Stephens decline and
fall. Mobile took from the town it's once
prosperous trade, causing It's decline and
finally resulting in it's fall.
But concerning the decline and fall of
st. Stephens there is another and more
romantic story related by the citizens of
the surrounding country. Those people
there who are of a religious, superstitious
turn of mind viii ltell you, even now at
this late day, that the fall of the old
town was due TO a preachers curse. It
Is said of the town that it never had a
church and the old grave stones standing
there today contain no inscriptions sug-
gestive of another life beyond the grave.
the dance hall and the ball room, the
card table and the race track and the
cock pit took the place of the church and
the music of the violin and the banjo and
the patter of feet in the quadrlle were
heard In place of the preachers voice
preaching the word of God to the citizens
of the town.
The town, aside from it's gay life, was
not especially wicked, but it made but
little or no pretenses towards religion.
Gayety and myrth and sports and song
and laughter reigned supreme from year s
end to years end. AT last one day there
came to the town a travelling preacher
who was DESTROYS Of talking to the peo-
pie about their wicked ways and wished
to preach to them the words of the Mas
ter. But he found no lstners and left
the place in disgust to return no more.
Crossing the river he stood upon bluff
facing the town and pronounced upon old
ST. Stephens the curse of Sodom and
Gomorrah Soon the town commenced to
decline until within a comparatively few
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-02-17

No positive reply can be made to this
question now nor can 1t be until line of
bore holes is carried down between Red
Mountain and the outcrop on the other
side of Shades Mountain. The whole mat
ter is bound up with the composition of
the ore in depth and the flattenlng of the
seam towards the southeast. Evidence is
net lacking that there Is suck fattenng,
bpt to what extent Is not now known.
Nor is 1t known positively what the com
position of the ore is as one proceeds
along the dip and reaches a considerable
depth beneath the surface.
That the cost of mining as referred to
content of iron. allowing that the compo-
sitlon of the hard ore Is relatively con-
slant below a certain depth, Increases
with the depth is obvious, but this in
crease may be offset by economies In
mining and surface handling. So, one is
inclined to ask Mr.. Eckel what kind of
red ore he had in mind when he est-
mated that the Alabama reserves were
one billion tons.
Estimates of the reserves of brown ore
make the amount 100000 tons. about one
third of the reserves in Tennessee and
one-fourth of the reserves In Virginia.
OF the four Southern states enumerated
Alabama has 90 million tons less than
Georgia, 100 million tons less than Tev-
nessee and 295 million tons less than Vir-
glna.
Before one can accept these estimates
he must know on what basis the estimates
were made.
1t is difficult to estimate the available
tonnage of red ore but when 1t comes to
brown ore 1t is almost impossible. There
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-02-17
BY F. l. MONKS.

England unless means were employed TO
make that country more prosperous and
happy under home rule than It could
hope TO be under foreign rule. He asked
for Irelands friendship. and. in case OF
necessity for Irelands assistance, but
there We're those who did not believe in
the fable of the lion and the mouse. and
they prevailed
But to whatever this change. which has
come over England. may be attributed IL
is not for the Irish people to inquire or
car proposed legislation will have
the e. stopping the ebbing life blood
of a nation which Is flowing out in emil
grafton. if 1t will revive the spirits and
industry of a people sunk in the depths
of depression and poverty. if it will re-
move the blight Of absentee landordism,
which, like a locust plague, has blghted
the green fields and fertile valleys of
once happy and prosperous country, then
It should be and will be welcomed, and
the hand which bestowed that gift win be
regarded as the honored instrument Of
Divine Providence.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-02-17

~ UT few people of this generation
* have ever heard the story of Old
- st. Stephens. Fewer still, even
Alabamans, know that st. Stephens was
the first capitol of the state. The town
now lies IN ruins and has long since been
forgotten, except by very few OF the
older citizens.
The grave of Old St Stephensl What
a story of JOY and mirth and gayety and
grandeur, of sorrow and woe and sad
ness lies buried there. What mass of
history of Importance to Alabama and to
the nation Is clustered around the hall
lowed spot
Not long ago I stood upon the high
bluffs overlooking the mighty Tombigbee
river. and as I turned my face towards
the setting sun 1 beheld the ruins OF Old
st. stephens, the first capital of Alabama.
Her broad and once we'll paved streets
are now a Jungle of bushes and vines,
with a stately pine tree here and there
which has grown since the towns decay.
During the spring and summer the odor
which is waited on the breezes from the
tangle of honeysuckles and myrtle per-
meats the soft evening air. The mag
nificent mansions, of days long since
passed. from out of whose windows oft
times on summers night the SOFT soul
inspiring strains of a dreamy waltz and
the sound of dainty feet upon the floor,
are now crumbled and gone and in their
stead are thickets too dense for the
moons pale rays to penetrate and out
of whose midst the owls lonesome boot
falls upon the deserted streets of once
gay and prosperous city.
The old site of st. stephens is on
high bluff, on the western bank of the
Tombigbee river, in Washington county,
and fifty miles above the city of Mobile.
The old town of St. Stephens first came
into existence in the year 1879 when the
Spanish built a fort there, at what they
then though was the head of navigation
of the Tomblgbee river. At this time
Spain claimed certain portions of Ala
bama and Mississippi as part of her
Florida possessions. st. Stephens was
the northern boundry of this territory
thus claimed and the Spanish built fort
at st. Stephens to hold the claim.
In those early days St. Stephens was,
strictly speaking, pioneer frontier town,
and her citizens were mainly of the from
tier type, but within the veins of her
manhood and womanhood eoursed some of
the best blood of France and England.
Many of the early French settlers of
st. Stephens were direct descendants of
the royal family of monarchial France
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-02-17
SHE DWELT AMONG THE UN-
TRODDEN WAYS.

what the heart of the young man said
to the psalmist.)
Tell me not, in mournful numbers
Life Is but an empty dream!
For the soul Is dead that slumbers
And things are not what they seem.
Life is reall Life Is earnestl
And the grave is not the goal;
Dust thou art, TO dust returnest.
Was not spoken OF the SOIL
Not enjoyment, and not sorrow,
Is our destined end or way;
But to act, that each tomorrow
Find us farther than today.
Art is long and Time is fleeing,
And our hearts, though stout and brave,
Still like muffled drums, are beating
Funeral marches to the grave.
In the worlds broad field of battle.
In the bivouac of Life,
Be not Ike dumb, driven cattle!
Be a hero in the strife!
Trust no Future. howe'er pleasant,
Let the dead Past bury its dead!
Act-act In the living Present.
Heart within and God oerhead'
Lives OF great men all remind us
We can make our lives sublime,
And. departing leave behind us
Footprints on the sands Of time;
Footprints that perhaps another
Sailing Ger LIES solemn main,
A forlorn and shipwrecked brother
Seeing, shall take heart again.
Let us, then, be up and doing,
With heart for any tate
Still achieving, still pursuing,
Larn to labor and to wait
BY Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-02-17
IRON ORE RESER YES

this district under present conditions.
What proportion of such ore is included
in the estimates of iron ore reserves
Was it taken into the estimates at all?
Was the big seam that is so prominent a
feature in Red Mountain, near Birming-
ham, and which is of too how a grade to
be used now. figured in then the estimates
are entirely too large, for under existing
conditions and such as with our present
knowledge are likely to maintain for
some years 1t can not be used for iron
making.
With the hard, or 1lmy, ores the case is
different, but here also we have no state
ment as to the grade of the ore which
has been counted in as reserves. 1t is
probable that the hard ore now used in
this district carries, on the average, from
IS to 30 per cent of metallic iron with suf-
ficient lime to render it self-fluxing. Per-
haps no reply can now be made to the
question "What is the minimum content
of iron in workable hard ore?', but / am
inclined to put the lower limit at 80 per
cent, with the understanding that In some
exceptional cases 1t may be as low as 2S
per cent.
The hard ore is the variety of red ore
that must now be used here, in some con-
still possible so secure soft red ore, yet ii
role is becoming of less and less impor-
lance as the available supplies are work
ed out.
What is the workable area of hard ore?
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-02-17

is there and how much 45 per cent? There
is a great difference between 80 and 40
per cent ore, a difference SO great as to
condition the acceptance or rejection of
large contracts. In considering the red
ores one must always remember that they
are Two distinct varieties and that the
workability depends on this difference.
The soft ores do not contain much lime,
rarely more than ! to $50 per cent but
they are much richer in iron than the
hard or limy ores.
There does not now seem to be large re-
serves of the soft red ore, certainly not
of such will carry from 43 to AZ per cent
of iron with about the same amount of
siiceous matter, but until some practical
method of utilizing them shall have been
devised and put into successful operation
they can not fairly be included in the es-
Inmates of ore reserves The ore is there
but it can not yet be made use of. Wheth-
er it will be used remains to be seen, bnt
it certainly is not used now nor do we
know If it can be. Under present. condi-
lions In the Birmingham district, and
they are more favorable than for several
years past, it does not appear that these
low grade soft red ores can be prohtbly
used. If the selling price of ore should go
to $500 or $3.50 a ton and give promise of
remaining there then these ores might
be concentrated proftably.
Tt Is not likely that a soft red ore or
a magnetic ore which carries 43 per cent
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-02-17

Spain over Cubas independence.
A century or more ago old st. Stephens
was the principal town in Alabama, but
today her name is only sad memory OF
the past The old town lies dead and
buried, her tomb most picturesque one.
Each succeeding spring and summer the
honeysuckle and the myrtle bloom along
the deserted streets, wasting their sweet
perfume ON the desert air." while the tall
stately pines, famed by each passing
breeze, whisper songs of sadness over the
grave Of old ST. Stephens.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-02-17
HIGH TIDE AT GETTYSBURG.

BY win Henry Thompson.
cloud possessed the hollow field.
The gathering battles smoky shield.
Athwart the gloom the lightning flashed.
And through the cloud some horseman
dashed,
Then at the brief command of Lee
Moved out the matchless infantry.
With Picket leading grandly down.
TO rush against the roaring crown
OF those dread heights of destiny.
Far heard above the angry guns
A cry across the tumult runs
The voice that rang through shiloh'a
woods
And Chickamauga solitude
The fierce South cheering on her sons!
All how the whitening tempest blew
Against the front of Pettigrew!
A Khamsin wind that scored and singed
Like that Internal flame that fringed
The British squares at Waterloo!
A thousand fell where Kemper led;
A thousand died where Garnett bled;
In binding flame and strangling smoke
The remnant through the batteries broke
And crossed the works with Armistead.
"Once more in Glory's van with mel"
Virginia cried to TENNESSEE
1--WE two together, come what may,
Shall stand upon these works todayr'
Crhe reddest day in history)
Brave Tennessee! In reckless way
Virginia heard her eomrade say:
CLOSE round this rent and riddled rag!'
What time she set her battle flag
Amid the guns of Doubleday.
But who shall break the guards that walt
Before the awful face of fate?
The tGttered standards of the South
Were shriveled at the lannon's mouth,
And all her hopes were desolate.
In vain the Tennessean set
His breast against the bayonetl
In vain Virginia charged and ragged,
A tigress in her wrath uncaged,
TIL all the hill was red and wet!
Above the bayonets, mixed and crossed.
Men saw a gray, gigantic ghost
Receding through the battle cloud,
And heard across the tempest loud
The death cry of a nation lost,
The brave went down! without disgrace
They leaped to Ruins red embrace,
They only heard Fame's thunders wake,
And saw the dazzling sunburst break
In smiles on Glory's bloody face!
They fell. who lifted up a hand
And babe the sun in heaven TO standl
They smote and fell who set the bars
Against the progress of the stars,
And stayed the march OF Motherland!
They stood, who saw the future come
On through the fights deliriumi
They smote and stood, who held the hope
OF nations on that slippery slope
Amid the cheers of Christendom.
God livesl He forged the iron will
That clutched and held that trembling
hill.
God lives and reigns lie built and lent
The heights for Freedoms battlement
Where floats her flag In triumph still!
Fold up the banners! Smelt the gans
Love rules. Her gentler purpose runs.
A mighty mother turns in tears
The pages of her battle years.
Lamenting all her fallen sons!
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-02-17
THE GRAVE OF OLD ST. STEPHENS

remoteness of the place and partly To
the fact that the place Is almost forgot
ten Occasionally tourist is drawn
there on account OF the historical interest
clustered around the place. Occasionally
the quietude of the spot is broken for a
day by n party of picnickers. Today
there is not single habitation on the
square mile or more Of land where the
old town formerly stood years ago Traces
of the old Spanish fort still remain, but
they are quite dim and are fast fading
from view. The weight of all these many
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-02-17
BY WILL w. NELSON.

years lies heavily upon the trenches and
entertainments of the old fort and has al
most obliterated them from view as It
has done the buildings of the old town
itself
The acquiring of this territory by thu
United States from Spain and the eXca-
walton of the old fort by the Spanish
soldiers marks the first Incident in history
of the expansion of the United, and was
the establishment of the policy of expan-
sion which become so popular with the
American people since the late war with
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-02-17
A PSALM OF LIFE.

BY William Wordsworth.
She dwelt among the untrodden ways
Beside the springs Of Dove;
A maid whom there were none to praise,
A very few to love.
A violet by a messy stone
Half hidden from the eye!
Fair as a star, when only one
Is shining in the sky.
She lived unknown, and few could know
When Lucy ceased to be;
But she is In her grave, ana, oh,
The difference to mel
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-02-17

This gentleman also says that he as
sumes as true the claim of geological
science that the extent of workable iron
ore beds is known within a margin of
possible error not exceeding per cent.
II geological science has ever made
such a claim it is not known to working
biologists or statisticians, There are but
few mining biologists who would under
take to estimate the workable ores in any
but a limited area and ev-n then with
important reservations.
If Swedish authority is no more ac-
curate with respect to other countries
than he is with respect to the United
States his estimates are utterly WORTH
less.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-02-17

In submitting these estimates of the
minimum tonnage of workable iron ores
Mr.. Eckel does not tell us ON what basis
he figures. except to say: 1T will be we'll
to bear in mind that the red ores will
average from SO to 43 per cent of metallic
iron, but that they carry so much lime
as to be almost or quite sef-auXing. The
brown ores, as washed. will range from
40 to 90 per cent metallic IRON
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-02-17

But the first question that arises is,
what Is workable ore9 Until this is
answered no reliable estimates can be
made, for upon the reply depends the en-
tire matter. Allowing that the range in
metallic iron, in the red ores, is from SO
to As per cent how much Sc per cent ore
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-02-17

Continuing his article Mr.. EclSel sub
mits estimates of the minimum workable
tonnage Of iron ores in certain southern
states. but says that further exploration
will probably increase rather than de-
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-02-17

Mr.. Eckel also submits estimates of the !
present rate of consumption Of iron ore
in the United States as follows:
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-02-17

crease these figures. Mr.. Eckers esti-
mates are as follows:
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-02-17

Tt is not likely that a soft red ore or
a magnetic ore which carries 43 per cent
of metallic iron can profitably be used in
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-02-17

The old st. stephens has but few WIS.,
itors today. due partly no doubt to the
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-02-17

iJVot Proudly ABOUT ...-.... .s...- 4o.uoutuV9
The production of pig iron in 1906 was
$780, 191 tons.
Las Vegas daily optic., 1907-04-03
HEARING IN CONTEST CASE

A hearing was commenced yester
day In the contest case Of o. A. Lar.
razola, versus Delegate w. II. An
drews In albuquerque. 1t is being
conducted in the law office of w. b
Childers, Justice of the Peace George
r. Craig sitting as magistrate Attor
neys A. M. Hickey and c. W. Heacock
appeared for the contestee and E. V
Chayes and Summers Burkkhart for
the contestant. The testimony for the
contestee has been closed and the tes
timony that Is now being adduced In
the hearing at Albuquerque is taken
for and on behalf Of the contestant
1t Is understood that the hearing will
take several days. Similar hearings
on behalf Of Delegate W. H. Andrews
are being conducted in Colfax, San
Miguel and Socorro counties.
Las Vegas daily optic., 1907-04-03
USE ALIENS rOOT.EASE

A powder to be shaken into the
shoes. Your feet feel swollen. neryo 10
and damp. and get tired easily. II
you have aching feet. try Aliens roo.'
Ease. 1t rests the feet and makes
new or tight shoes fit easy. Cures
aching. swollen. sweating feet. blistees
and callous spots. Relieves Chilblains.
Corns and Bunions OF all pain and
gives rest and comfort. Try It today.
Sold by all druggists and shoe stores.
25c. Don't accept any substitute. Trial
package FREE. Address. Allen 5.
Olmsted lie, Roy. n 7.
Las Vegas daily optic., 1907-04-03
INDEPENDENT VOTERS
FESTIVAL in new YORK

New York, April 3.-An indepen-
dent voters festival. the first of the
kind ever held in New York, took
place at Cooper union last night un-
der the auspices of the Peoples ins.
titute. The meeting was modelled
along the lines of those held each
year In Faneuil's hall. Boston, and
those present were asked to take the
fire. oman's oath: Il 10 solemnly bind
myself that will give my vote and
suffrage as shall Judge in mine own
conscience may best conduce to the
public veal, so help me God" Among
the speakers at the meeting were
Jacob A. Riis. Judge Peter S. Gross
cup. the Rev. Dr. Robert Collyer and
others.
Las Vegas daily optic., 1907-04-03

Homer Hallett Of Watrous was in
the city this morning.
Frank Strass 'ea on No. 10 today
for trip to watrous.
Antonio Salano was In the city to-
day from the lower country.
Chas. Peterson OF the Stearns gro
cery Is down the road on business
trip,
S. r. GIN and family expect TO
leave tomorrow for trip TO ST.
Louis.
DR. and Mrs. Brown were In the
city today from the Ell Mora ranch
near Watrous.
u. j. Heron Of the Armour Pack
ing company came in from the south
on No 10 today.
II. W. Webb OF the McPike Drug
company OF Kansas City was In the
city today calling on the trade.
| Miguel Meiran Is In the city from
Canon del Aqua and reports that the
people In that district are badly In
need OF rain
B S. Jackson OF Willard. who Is
cinnected with the Chas. Ilfeid COM
pany at that place, In In the city for
few days rest and recreation prior
10 the opening Of their new store
there.
Frank Johnson Of bloomington, In-
| diana. has arrived In Las Vegas for
the purpose of purchasing land and
will visit with his old time friend.
\. s, Roseberry. for few days. Mr..
Johnson came up through Texas and
states that land there has advanced
greatly. Raw land Is now selling at
from sl5 TO sls an acre.
Lee Nutter and wife arrived In tht
city yesterday afternoon from Los
Alamo to meet ]. d. Hand. his broth
er and guests from Alabama. Mis-:
Daisy Carroll. A. p. Hanson and W
c. Hand arrived on No. 9, but Mr. ]
d. Hand received telegram at Kan
sas City informing him that his baby
was very sick and he returned I'm
mediately to New York City.
Las Vegas daily optic., 1907-04-03
|sIMPuFlED SPELLING
ADVOCATES IN SESSION
Many Great Lights Of Literature aad
Education Attend First Annual
Meeting Of Board.

New York. April 3-OEer half ot
the forty members of the Simplifasd
spelling hoard. including some Of the
great lights Of literature and educa'
| tion In this country. Canada and Eng
land. gathered al the waldorf-A Astoria
t0Iay for the first annual meeting 0i
the board Business sessions. ievot
ed mainly TO reports of the progress
of the simplified spelling movement,
wer. held today and tonight the
visitors will he the guests of Andrew
Carnegie at "a banquet al the Waldorf
The meeting will last through tomoT-
row.
Among the delegates are William
Aslor, Of London. who represents
England al the conference: James
". Bright Of Johns Hopkins univer.
sity, Baltimore: Andrew Carnegie. OF
Plttsburg: Chancellor T., Benjamin
Andrews OF Nebraska university
President Homer II. Seerly OF the
Iowa State normal: President David
Starr Jordan and Professor George
Hempl of Leland Stanford university
California; D. c. Blackmen and i, O.
Vale of Chicago. and Judge William
". Morrow of California.
The use of President Roosevelt q
famous list OF 800 words Is endorsed
by the board and the philologists
present will recommend the addition
OF other simplified words.