davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-01-29
County Road Repairs,

''The board of revenue has given orders for a stone crusher and road roller" said Hugh MeGeever yesterday, "and we hope to put Jefferson in the front rank for county roads.
 These machines will cost about 5000. The rock crusher will be set up at some convenient place wheer suitable rock can be found, and from, there the crushed rock will be hauled and used to fill up the ruts in the road, and then the roller will come along to finish the surface.
 'The old plan of filling up the ruts with dirt dug out of the bank was about the most useless and worthless sort of road repairing, but 1t was the only thing we could do, considering the means at our disposal. It will take some years to put the county roads in flrst-class condition, but any one who read the last report made by the board of revenue will learn what Is being done in the way of building new bridges and repairing old ones
 "The whole matter is purely a question of money. It costs money to make and repair roads, and 1t is to the interest of the farmers that they cooperate with us in our efforts to improve the roads,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-01-29
Effect of Cold Weather.

"The first winter l was in Birming- ham," said a former Illinois man last night, "one of the most unusual sights 1 witnessed was a negro drayman who, on cold day. carried charcoal burner on his wagon over which he lowered as he drove through the streets. l soon learned that the practice was nothing un- usual here. It struck me as strange be- cause I had lived in northern Illinois all my life and had been through much colder weather than ever comes to Bir- mingham and I had never seen such d thing there.
 During the cold spell of the past two or three days I notice that the practice is being carried still further. Negro work men on the street railway gangs every night have a huge kettle of live coals on the work car and they hover around this as the ear moves from one part of the city to another.
 Tn cold climates we are taught that when you go out In the cold you should avoid fire and allow your system to get thoroughly used to the temperature. A man working on the farm in intensely cold weather would never think of going in to the fire if for any reason he had to go to the house for a short time. He knows that if he gets thawed out and warmed through he will suffer all the more when he again goes out into the cold air"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-01-29
FAD AND THE GIRL.

Descending upon the exasperating way a Philosophical Brother in The Home Magazine for January advises that every girl. as a part of her education, be en- eouraged to develop rad" an avoca- ton such as may become, if need be, a trivial, but something worthy of genuine affection on the part of the girl, and something that will appeal to the interest of a large number of her fellow beings. This fad-poorly so called-should be in line with the bent of the mind and heart, so that every bit of the effort of both mind and heart expended on 1t may be given with thorough sense of joy. It should also be important enough and big enough to absorb large amount of attention without being burden.
 Cultivate it lovingly, joyously. Be jeal- ous of it, slow to let any other interest displace 1t in your affection. Be assured that the Prince Charming who wins his way over the wall such a fad provides will be the worthier of the prize within. Likewise be assured that he who will shrink before such an obstacle will not be worth even one tear will not even be missed in the joy the heart finds In its work Indeed, such a fad will be more than likely to attract some prince of like tastes, some one who, by sharing the joys of your fad, will double them.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-01-29
Cincinnati needed bath. anywa
THE suR-TREAsuRY.

Frcm the Washington Post.
 w. 1T. Hassinger of Birmingham, who is at the Raleigh, believes that the new sub-treasury to be located in the south will go to his city. We think we are entitled to it," said MT. Hassinger "Some time ago, when the question of locat- ing United States penitentiary was up, Birmingham and Atlanta were the bid ders for 1t. We played fair. We weighed the matter carefully and we came to tine conclusion that Atlanta needed peniten- tiary more than we did, but now we think we are entitled ito the sub-treas- ury. Why, our pay rolls will aggregate $3,000,000 a week, an amount that cannot be equaled by any city In the south. New Orleans comes nearest to it, but we beat the Crescent City by more than a mil lion dollars. I know whereof I speak, for I lived for many years in New Orleans. There are only two cities in the field now for the ub-treasury-Atlanta and Bir- ming gham-and we confidently believe that Birmingham will get 1t. We want 1t, we need 1t, and we ought to have it.''
 MT. Hassinger, who is a retired busi- ness man. was for several years the head works in the south, and Is largely inter ested in banking. He is In Washington for pleasure and his visit has no connec- tion with the effort to secure the sub treasury.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-01-29
Coal Lands

One of the notable facts in the min eral situation in this state has been the steady enhancement in value of coal and ore properties. For some time past ore lands have been in active demand at prices that would have been consid- cred fancy" not to say fabulous, ten years ago. Increased consumption of the finished product of iron Is going on at an enormous rate and ore, therefore, is being exhausted much faster than experienced calculators had estimated
 There has been such a clamor for high grade ore property recently that little, if any, is found on the market for sale. Here in Alabama practically all the ore is now owned by furnace and mining companies. If any man happens to have little tract of good ore land for sale, hidden up his sleeve, his fortune is assured.
 
 to attain high levels in sympathy with iron ore. This state, as everybody knows, is exceptionally rich in min erals. It used to be said that as coal was here in inexhaustible supply, min ing values would never reach an ex- cited stage, but would, on the other hand, move Up only in a conservative way But our lmitless coal supply, 1 like our inexhaustible ore beds, is be- ing worked out faster than had ever | been dreamed of by the old.time rose ate statistician. The coal output has doubled within few years, and the great possibilities of the trade are just now being fully appreciated. Pittsburg cannot supply the Missis- sippi river demand. And today the de- mand for Alabama coal is so great in thls immediatae section that the Bir- mingham district has none to spare. for shipment to New Orleans.
 The result of this growing consump- ton of the black diamond will tend naturally to stimulatae the energies of the mining trade and bring the annual output in this state up to 20,000,00O tons. It will not be many years be- fore a twenty million "crop" In this district will be badly needed. Not a l ton of it will be drag on the market. Recent sales of coal properties hereabouts show plainly that the up ward movement in values Is we'll under way. Millions of new capital soon will be rolling into the coal fields of Ala bama.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-01-29
Mobiles 27.Foot Channel

Alabama is state with but one port, and if that port can secure a 27-foot channel by deepening the water on the outer bar and in the way through the bay to the city, she will not be apt to have another port either at Fort Mor- gan or elsewhere. Mobile would then be all-sufficient.
 Two millions of people are therefore interested in the deepening of the chan nel. The pending rivers and harbors bill carries, including uneXpended bal ances, $711 1922 for harbor purposes at Mobile, and it is not dollar too much. This appropriation will complete the 23-foot channel, and will enter upon the project of establishing a 27-foot channel. A 27-foot channel carefully maintained will meet the demands of commerce at our sole port very well, and the entire state should line up be- hind it, for there is not a county in the  state that will not be benefited by deep water at Mobile. Keeping in view the completition of the Panama canal and the opening of the Warrior, 27foot channel becomes a necessity that the entire state should call aloud for.
 Nor is our port at all idle nowadays. On Saturday of last week there were in 1t twenty sea-going tramp steamers 1; three full-rigged ships; sixteen parks; four barkentines. and sixteen schoon- ers-in all, fifty-nine vessels. These vessels are but an indication of what will be there when a 27-foot channel links the Panama canal and an Open Warrior together.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-01-29
ELLIOTT AFFORDS
 MUCH AMUSEMENT

Washington, January 2s,-"You are the most insulting and contemptible witness I ever saw before a committee" was the retort of Representative Grosvenor to Prof. Henry w. Elliott of Cleveland, O.. at meeting of the house ways and means committee held today to consider the Southard measure for regulating sealing in Alaskan waters
 You can't shut me up. All this eVi- dence is coming. It will go on the floor of the house." MT. Elliott shouted in re- ply.
 Gen. Grosvenor will interfere when ever he wants to. Take it into the house as soon as you wish," MT. Grosyenor re- piled, calmly. ,
 The contI oversy arose through Prof. El- liCtts attempt to read to the committed much testimony concerning the case or the J. Hamilton Lewis sailing vessel which was finally settled before The Hague tribunal
 Gen. Grosyenor, Chairman Payne, Rep resentative Dalzell and other members of the committee attempted to explain to Mi. Elliott that the documents he was reading were of no value in he hearing but he resented their interruption and attacked the members of the committee with a vehemence which afforded much amusement to the committee and the snectators gathered in the room.
 MT, Elliott devoted practically the en- tire morning to a discussion of the J. Hamilton Lewis case, citing it as proof of his claim that the Northern American Commercial company, which holds con- cession from the United States take seals in Alaskan waters, obtained the conces- sion fraudulently and should not be per mitted to continue in seal fishing
 At the conclusion of the statement of Mir Lewis the hearing was declared clcsed.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-01-29
RAINIER TRIED TO
 BLACKMAIL WHITELY

London, January 2s.-A verdict of "wil- ful murder was rendered by a coroner's jury this morning against Horace George Rayner, the man who shot and killed William Whitney, the Westbourne Grove merchant, January 24 But few addition al facts developed at the inquest and the motive of the crime remains a mystery, unless as the police claim, it was a fail ure of an attempt to blackmail the mer- chant. The sons and the old employees of the murdered man testified that they had never seen or head of Rayner before the day of the tragedy. A witness testifying to the events immediately prior to the shooting said he heard Rayner say to MT. Whitney:
 Are you going to give away?'
 MT. Whitely replied, NO"
 Rayner then said, You are a dead man, MT. Whitely." and drawing a re- volver from his pocket he fired and the merchant fell dead without uttering sound.
 The detective-inspector in charge of the case declared that all the evidence pointed to blackmail He added that he had searched MT. Whitelys papers. but had discovered no trace of any thing relating to Rayner, but among the prisoners papers were found documents showing that he was wanted by the po- lice
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-01-29

truth concerning his manipulations of the French canal, of the Panama revo- lution and of the Panama railroad. He won great fees from his operations, and if he had stayed in this country Senator Morgan would have compelled him to disclose all his shady trans actions.
 Senator Morgan now proposes to drive him out of the Panama railroad, and it is believed that he will be sue cessful. The bill to do that has been favorably reported, and Senator Nor gan's report from the committee on interoceanic canals presents all the facts and points involved in the pro- posed change of control of the Pan anna railroad.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-01-29
Lillian Russelps klmona.

Chinese coats and Japanese kfmonas are now the rage. not only as bedroom negllgees, but as teagowns and theatre cloalxs," said a theatrical man.
 "The demand for these Oriental gar ments has reached an extraordinary pitch, and real mandarin coats costing anything up to $525 are now imported di- rect from the Celestial empire. In The Butterfly Miss Russell wears one heavily embroidered with gold and silver. She also has a lovely model in, sunflower vel low, with touches of bronze and glitter ing with gold and gems.
 Miss Russell has had one sent her from Japan. It Is of Nankin blue. em- broidered in silver thistle-down and trails of mauve wisteria. The ldmona is lined with scarlet and opens over a scarlet pet tcoat. while shoes and stockings repeat the same vivid coloring.
 Miss Russell, in The Butterfly the new comedy written for her by Kellett Chambers, wears several wonderful Worth gowns made from the latest de- signs from Paris"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-01-29
PETTuS AND MORGAN.

From the Washington Herald.
 There is a law in Alabama requiring successful candidates for United States senator to appear in person before the legislature and accept the office. Until the reelection the other day of the veter- an senator, John T. Morgan, this law has been rigidly observed, and its observ- ance has led to great outpouring of the people to witness the interesting proceed ing and listen to the eloquence. Senator Morgan did not go to Montgomery this week to accept reelection in the old way and thank the legislature for the honor, etc. He would have gladly done so had the condition of his health not caused his physician to advise against the travel When the legislature learned of the state of things it promptly and unanimously adopted a joint resolution suspending the odd old law to suit the convenience of Alabamas great senator. This was done without request being made by the sen ator.
 In the absence of Senator Morgan the other day during the discussion of the salary-increase bill. his venerable col- league, Gen Pettus, who supported the measure, paid simple but eloquent tri- bute to him. He pointed to Senator Morgan as an example of the need of higher compensation for the- national lawmakers, reciting briefly the hard work done by his colleague in his thirty years devotion to the public service. My col league" said Senator Pettus. in a voice trembling with emotion, 'could have amassed fortune at the bar had he preferred that to serving his people and the country. I have known him sixty years. We have lived as friends and neighbors for that length of time in the same village. He was making $15,GT year when he came to the senate. You all know how hard he has worked here, and that he has had no time to earn money. His financial condition is now just about what 1t was when he entered the senate thirty years ago. The peo- pie of Alabama know he Is poor, and they are proud of him for it."
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-01-29
ALABAMA'S GRAND OLD MEN

genius forcing themselves to the front, and doing great work at their young manhood age. Such instances may be found as far back as history Is recorded. But they are the exception, not the rule, and these exceptions are not more nu- merous now than formerly, considering the greater number of men who now win prominence for public service rem dered The efforts that are being made in many quarters to crowd out the old men and push forward young men, of which pr. Osler's pronunciamento is part, are based on mistaken grounds. There is danger in it. if carried too far, and the energy of youth be left unaided by the experience of age.
 It is true that some men begin to de- cline and decay mentally as well as phy- sically when they reach the Osler pe- riod. just as 1t is also true that physical ly and still more mentally some men are only of pigmy stature at maturity. But at SO the man who has led tenn perate life Is still physically in his prime, and In a healthy body the mind con tinues to expand and grow long after physical maturity has been reached. Hence it is that the pages of history are studded with the examples of grand old men, men who long after the pre- scribed age, according to Dr. Osler, have accomplished great things.
 There Is a wisdom that comes only with age, the wisdom of conservatism, which is required to preserve the equi- librium of the world. Beveridges in the Senate may be all right, and the energy and enthusiasm of youth may be use full even in the council chamber. But the experience and conservatism of age IS also needed and the Morgans and Pet tuses are not to be despised. If one class or the other should require to be exclud- ed altogether, could even Dr. Osler doubt that it would be better to dispense with the services of the young men than with the old?
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-01-29
NORDICA.

From the Columbus Enquirer-Sun.
 Madame Nordica sang in Nashville last Wednesday evening and later the Amer iean remarked: When a double armful of woman gets $40 minute and all ex- penses for singing she ought to be able to warble like an angel. By the same token, when woman can sing like a crop-w winged scraph, no amount of mon- ey could be badly spent that 1t costs 10 have her perform in a community-it is such a healthy disconragement to most of the bullets that try to crow It ap- pears that the desire to say something was checked partially by apprehension
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-01-29
From the Augusta Tribune.

From the Augusta Tribune.
 @HE people of Alabama do not 9 seem to agree with ltl1.l pr, r., 0s,qp s,a' to the conclusion that men ought to be chloroformed when they reache the age of 60. Alabama has just reelected her present two United States senators.
 Senator Morgan and Senator Pettus are each well past 80 years of age. Senator Morgans new term will begin on March f. next and If he lives to end 1t he will then be past 90 years old. Senator Pettus present term does not expire until March A. 1909, and he will then be S6 years of age. If he should live to complete the new term to which he has already been elected, he will then be past s2. In pass ing 1t may be noticed that never before in our history has man of this age been elected to this high office. And what makes it more remarkable still is the fact that this choice was made two years before the term of six years is to be- gin, and that the colleague chosen as his senior senator Is quite as old as he. It may also be noted that neither of these old men was elected for purely sentiment al reasons. Both have served a long time and have demonstrated their ability, and, with their mental powers undiminished, they were elected as the strongest and best equipped men in the state to serve her people in that capacity
 In view of this, what becomes of the Osler doctrine? Throughout the country, and in other countries as well. there are numerous examples of grand old men, whose usefulness is not impaired by their having passed the limit of usefulness set by Dr. Osler On the contrary, to take the men of greatest usefulness in our or any other civilized country. it will be found that more of them have passed the age of eo than are far on the sunny side of it..
 There are instances of young men of
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-01-29
Control of the Panama Railroad

Whenever Senator Morgan is re- ported i'll it turns out that he is at home preparing telling document on some subject of large proportions. It was recently said he was kept from the Senate by severe cold, when the truth was he was preparing 21-page report of the committee on inter- oceanic canals in support of bill to eliminate William Nelson Cromwell from the Panama railroad and to turn that railroad, owned as it is by Uncle Sam, over to the canal commission.
 The report prepared by Senator Nor gan presents all the national and in ternational aspects of the case, and especially the legal questions involved fin a charter which Cromwell worked for all it Is worth. Our senior Senator has, it is reported, nine of the twelve members of the committee to his views, and when he speaks he presents the views of the committee.
 The elimination of Cromwell is espe- cially to be desired. At present he is fin Europe, where it is believed he will stay until after March 4. He is really a fugitive from subpoena service. He does not desire to get within Senator Morgan's series of pointed questions. He does not propose to tell the whole
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-01-29
HELD FOR MURDER
 OF DR. TOWNSEND

New York, January 2S,-Suspected of knowing something about the death of Dr. Charles W. Townsend of Staton Is- land who was mysteriously murdered in his home Friday night, the police last night arrested John Bell, a formar street car conductor at his home in Brooklyn. The suspicious of the police were directed toward Bell by discovery that his wife died about a year ago after an operation attending childbirth. Dr. Townsend was attending the woman and had charge of the operation, being assisted by other doctors. Bell Is reported to have blamed Dr. Townsend for his wifes death.
 Bell was formerly employed as a con- ductor of a trolley line running to Flush ing, L. l., and is said to have eloped with a young woman who was member of a family socially prominent in that place
 Her parents objeced to her marriage, and Bell and his young wife removed to Staten Island where he found employ ment as a street car conductor.
 The arrest was made in a sensational manner The two detectives who took him into custody were accompanied into the Bell home by a squad of police, who surrounded the house. When the detee- tives asked for Bell they were told that he was not at home, but they forced their way into the house and found him. Presenting their revolvers, they told him that resistance would be useless. where upon he surrendered. He was taken to police headquarters and questioned. He declared that Dr. Townsend was no friend of his, but that he had nothing whatever to do with the murder of the doctor The police in the meantime be- gan an investigation of Bells action on the night of the shooting,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-01-29
THE pAEEopILS.

I wander'd lonely as a cloud That floats on high o'er wales and hills, When all at once I saw a crowd, A host of golden daffodls, Beside the lake, beneath the trees, Fluttering and dancing in the breezA Continuous as the stars that shine And twinkle on the milky way, They stretched in neyer-ending line Along the margin of a bay; Ten thousand saw I at a glance Tossing their heads in sprightly dance. \
 The waves beside them danced. but they Out-did the sparkling waves in glee- A poet could not but be gay In such a jocund company. I gazed-and gazed-but little thought What wealth the show to me had
 bought;
 For oft when on my couch I lie In vacant or in pensive mood. They flash upon that inward eye Which is the bliss of solitude: And then my heart with pleasure fills. And dances with the daffodils