davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1908-11-12

Peoples Mercantile Go.
1i-12.tf
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1908-05-07
DISPLAY NO SPECIAL BRAVERY.
Men Who Risk Their Lives Because
It's in Their Business.

A man was telling the other day of
what he thought the bravest act he
had ever seen-that of well-shooter
in the OIL country, who, after dropping
can of nitroglycerin into a well,
found that the gas was forcing it
out again, and who stood with his
arms ready and caught the torpedo
when it reached the surface, says the
Punxsutawney (Pa) Spirit.
Considering how deadly an explosive
it was to handle, it seemed an act of
splendid bravery on the part of the
operator. But Mr.. Elliott, down at the
gas Office, who has caught a few of
these hot deliveries himself, smiles
disparagingly as he remarks:
1T perhaps requires some courage
to make a business of shooting oil
wells, but as for catching a torpedo
when it is forced back by the gas,
that is nothing more than a matter
of nerve.
1.-THE fact is that if 1t were allowed
to shoot up in the air. it would strike
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1908-05-07

and for machinery at these places the
sum of $9,589, $1,000, making the total
of the real maintenance cost of the
shore part of the establishment $780,
694, 26390. Of course this latter fig
ure does not include the work done at
the yards on or for ships; it is solely
the cost of keeping the yards in such
shape as to fit them for doing their
work for the floating part of the estab-
lishment. This cost alone of main
tanning the shore plant was more than
two-thirds the cost of the floating
part, the fleet.
Extravaganza of Shore Plants.
Enumerating the various other ex-
penses of the yards and stations, the
pay inspector makes the fiat assertion
that over half of the total appropria-
tions for the navy are absorbed by the
shore plants. OF the finished product,
the warship in commission and be-
yond the control of the land establish
ment force, there is, he says, little to
say. Admitting the absolute necessity
for that product, finished as it is to-
day, it's administration, away from the
navy yards, is apt to be economical
enough, comparatively speaking. 1t is
about the accounting for the necessity
for the expenses of the huge establish
ment that supports the fleet that there
should be concern.
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1908-05-07

The paymasrer thus gays his re-.
spects to the bureau system of tho
navy department: "The bureaus" he
says, "do not represent principalities
within clear, uncrossed dividing lines.
There are portions of the personnel re-
source that, directly or Indirectly. are
under the influence of more than one
bureau, and there are portions of the
money resource that cannot be ex-
pended properly by one bureau with
out advice or suggestion from another.
This necessitates coordination in or
der to accomplish. What an accept
able. inspiring word coordination is.
The mention of it brings ones
thoughts to peaceful achievement. to
modern triumph over that business
demon, waste. In the navy it means
something like the general peace in
Europe, where the dusty boundary
stone is not needed to mark division
between neighboring mighty states.
the demarkation being more clearly
shown by unbroken lines of waiting
bayonets. Such is coordination to-day
among the bureaus.
Defects in Present System.
knowing that navy yard work.
even under businesslike administra-
ton, cannot be done, with the neces-
sary government methods to contend
with, as cheaply as similar work in
commercial shops, let us be liberal
minded. Then, also knowing that for
every boat tiller made there are thou
sands of pick handles and lawn NOW
ers, let us admit that the minimum
price of boat tillers made at the yards.
one dollar, is just and proper value.
Does this give excuse for manufacture
ing others at three dollars each?
When 40 metal stateroom boxes. for
officers uniforms, were made at one
yard for $567, was it good policy to
manufacture 40 more, at the same
time, at another yard not many miles
away and with the same resources, at
cost of $1,25076? Where one yard
was able to make sos ditty boxes for
$1,S99.77, was it just to the Money for
the Navy to spend $4,259.66, at the
same time, at another yard, in making
a similar number?
Turning to furniture: A mahogany
desk for cabin cost $136.76 at one
yard, while at another, one made for a
sister ship cost $3.50, there being no
cents wasted on this latter price An
oak desk cost $112.07 at one yard and
$163.30 at another
Curious Variations in Price.
"To make and fit into battleship
six galvanized boxes, for fire clay,
3Gx24x15 inches, cost at one yard, for
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1908-05-07

any develop unless air is admitted to
the tank in which the sewage is being
purified. So if one can run his sew
age into water-tight concrete tank
nearly air-tight above, there the bac-
terra will revel and nearly all the
solid matter in the sewage will be
destroyed. The inlet and outlet to this
tank should be below the surface, both
to prevent the circulation of air and
to prevent any floating solid matter
being drawn into the next tank. The
second tank is like the first one, and in
it the water publication is carried yet
further. From this tank the water is
sometimes carried to sand and gravel
filters, and after passing through them
is said to be clear enough and pure
enough for drinking purposes, though
there would seem to be no valid rea-
son for putting it to this test.
There should be, then, two concrete
tanks, made water-tight, each provided
with a manhole which should be prac-
tically air-tight, the whole being con-
nected with the house drain with as
much fall as the nature of the soil will
permit, and the drain being of vitrified
tile, with cemented joints. The inlets
and outlets of these tanks should be
below the surface of the water.
Here is a farm system proposed by
Joseph E. Wing and published in the
Breeders Gazette: 1 see nothing bet
ter than to finish the business by lead
ing the water away from the second
tank through glazed and vit-ified tiles
till they join with the regular farm
drainage system, at a safe distance
from the well. This should make safe
the farm we'll against pollution and
the whole system should prove auto
matte in it's action, and give no trou-
BILE.
On Woodland farm we have very
tough, impervious blue clay everything
our water-bearing stratum of gravel
and use drilled well, so there is prac-
tically no possibility of water pollution
from our drainage system. We have
but one tank, with drain leading
away. This has worked perfectly since
1904
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1908-05-07
A WELL-KEPT FARMYARD.
Nothing Which Pays Better for the
Trouble and Cost.

Nothing is more pleasing and at
tractive than to see a beautiful farm
yard. 1t would be task to name all
the flower seeds planted in our flower
garden every spring or even the va
riety of bulbs set in the fall
Seeds sown in the spring include
several varieties of poppy, pansies,
asters of all colors, balsam, carna-
tons, cannas, chrysanthemums, alys-
sum, dahlias, datura, larkspur, mari.
gold, morning glory, nasturtiums, Pc
tunias, sweet peas, verbena, forget
me-not and sweet william. We also
plant many bulbs which are taken up
in the fall and stored away until
spring.
We have beds of geraniums, hardy
roses and Towering shrubs that grow
four to five feet high and bloom pro.
fusely. The cut shows the arrange.
ment of the drives and walks, trees,
shrubs, ETC., of our place. There is a
hedge bordering the yard, two ever
green trees in front and some hard
naples over 100 years old.
The driveway is semi-circular, and
near the road is signboard or sale
notice where I post what l want to
sell. The name of the farm is painted
on the board. Last but not least, Old
Glory floats from the flag staff.
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1908-05-07

open ser. and within the restricted
space which even the largest enemy's
fleet can cover, any opportunity for
those quick surprises, or those sudden
attacks on exposed lines of communi-
cation, stretching away for miles,
which is one of the principal employ
ments of cavalry; and can one even
imagine squadron of armored
cruisers making a charge in battle
against battleships at all comparable
to those charges of cavalry which
again and again in history have been
hurled with irresistible violence
against a vulnerable point?
This officer does not wish to be mis-
understood as questioning the useful
ness of armored cruisers; he merely
questions the logicalness OF an oft-re-
heated argument "But at the same
time" he says, cit may be well to
point out that, though we can find a
use for our armored cruisers, now that
we have them, yet nevertheless, if we
had ten battleships instead of our ten
armored cruisers, our fleet would be
much stronger
Cost of Establishments.
AS has been said, no one has yet fig
ured out just what our ships cost
when the cost of the establishment is
included. The one who has made the
nearest approach to it is Pay Inspector
John A. Mudd. In a paper which is
published in the naval institute, this
distinguished officer says that of the
hundred millions annually appropri-
ated for the navys support $18,00O,00
in round numbers is spent to pay the
wages of labor in navy yards.
This amount, says the pay inspector,
is nearly equal to what it costs to sup
port the fleet in commission. The &C
counting for the actual disbursement
of these eighteen millions is thorough,
too thorough, perhaps. The accounting
for why the money was spent is
simply the unregulated and generally
unexamined show of results, with lit
tie or no proof that the results equal
the values expended.
For the fiscal year of 1906 he adds
that the cost of maintaining ali ships
then in commission was $23, 655, 950.41.
Returns for this year show that there
was spent for repairs to hulls, ma
chinery, and equipage of the ships
S., $50, 309.01. Thus the total cost of
the floating part of the establishment
during the year, excluding cost of new
construction 1881, 1854, 556.58 alone)
was $29, zoe, 259.42. 1t cost during the
same fiscal year to maintain all the
navy yards and other shore stations
81, l15, 080.81. Besides this there was
expended for buildings. chattels. ETC.,
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1908-05-07

the job, 1857, 01, and at another yard,
to make similar boxes and to fl them
on board a sister battleship, II. cost
$3S412 These same boxes, untitled,
cost at one yard six dollars ea.th; al
another, $8.47, and at still another.
$20S4."
The pay inspector asks if caanga
in the method of appropriating money
looking to the increased economical
efficiency of the shore plant would
affect the fleet, and answers his own
question in the affirmative. Yes" he
says, materially, perceptibly, abso-
lutely, at once. Every time navy
yard clerk bungles or shirks his work,
the fleet feels it; every time a navy
yard mechanic goes to sleep in the
bowels of the hull on which he is
working, the fleet feels it; every time
a supervising authority on shore is
overcome by feeling of laissez faire,
the fleet feels it; every time two de-
partments at a navy yard waste hours
in friction, in bumptious quarreling,
the fleet feels it. The fleet is as a
seismometer, for inefficiency on shore.
The shock of the full-paid workman
idle at his job may not attract or
binary notice, but it is recorded there
just the same, and it's mark may be
deciphered by those who search and
weigh and measure. IN. Y. Times.
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1908-05-07

the maintenance of a British battle
ship. But it is likely that he has in
cluded in this estimate the cost of the
establishment which maintains the
ships. No mathematician has yet fig
ured out the cost of our ships of war
on lines which would include the cost
of yards, docks, etc. If this were
done it would be found that under our
present very absurd system, or rather
very absurd lack of system, in con-
Quoting naval affairs, the cost of main
tanning a British battleship would be a
poor, cheap, and tawdry thing in COM
parison with the cost of maintaining
an American war vessel of the same
type.
Over Billion Since Spanish War.
The new navy, which dates from the
Spanish war, has cost to date $1,244,-
651, 900. OF this sum $309,000,000 has
been expended on ships. The rest has
gone to the maintenance of the naval
establishment The cost of mainten-
ance of individual types is shown in a
series of tables prepared by the bu-
reau of supplies and accounts and in
corporated in the annual report of the
paymaster general of the navy. Dur
ing the fiscal year ended June 30,
1907. the cost of maintaining the 16
battleships which are now in the Pa
cific was as follows:
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1908-05-07
HIGH.PRIcED cowPEAs.
II Will Pay the Farmer to Give Them
Fair Chance.

Cowpeas are scarce and high again
this year, and it will pay every farm
er to see that he gives all he sows a
fair chance. 1t is sheer folly to pay
two to four dollars a bushel for peas
and then sow them on land that has
been only half prepared, or that is too
poor to grow crop. Cowpeas are
commonly regarded as a poor land
CROP" that is, they will grow on land
too poor to make paying crop OF
anything else, and will improve the
land by their growth. 1t must be re-
membered, however, that their great
function is to gather nitrogen from
the atmosphere, and that they cannot
successfully do this without a full
supply of potash and phosphoric acid.
Nowhere do these elements pay bet
ter than when applied to leguminous
crops, since by their use in this way
the nitrogen of the air is more freely
appropriated by the legumes. And
nitrogen is, as is we'll known, our most
expensive element of fertility.
Prepare the land we'll. fertilize liber-
ally with the mineral elements, and
cowpeas will pay even when they cost
three dollars or more per bushel. A
bushel to the acre is the usual amount
sown for hay. Three pecks may do
just as we'll where the land is in good
shape, the peas sown evenly and one
of the ranker growing varieties used.
When the peas are sown for seed they
may be drilled in rows Is inches apart.
This way, says Farmers Voice, a peck
will plant an acre. If they are cult
waited until they begin to cover the
ground too much. they will make more
seed this way than when sown broad
cast or with grain drill. Some even
recommend sowing rows and cultivat-
ing for hay. In either case there is Of
course less benefit to the soil than
where more seed is used; but peck
sown on well-prepared and well-fer-
tilted land will not only produce moro
seed or hay than a bushel put in in a
slovenly, slipshod manner, hut will
also add more nitrogen and more
humus to the soil.
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1908-05-07
A Cron of Wheat.

An average crop of wheat removes
from an acre of soil 113 pounds OF
ammonia, As pounds of phosphoric
acid, So pounds of potash; oats, 107
pounds of ammonia, 35 pounds of phos-
phoric acid, TIA pounds of potash; red
clover, lis pounds of ammonia, IT
pounds of phosphoric acid, 81 pounds
of potash; a 1900 pound steer. 40
pounds of ammonia, 20 pounds OF
phosphoric acid, ~ pounds of potash.
These are organic and mineral SUBJ
stances, not air or water. To produce
one pound of grain and two pounds OF
straw, 1000 pounds of water are nee
essary to dissolve plant food and evap-
crate through the leaves.
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1908-05-07
FARM FACTS.

Get the very best seed you can. Get
it all in in season. Then VOW ven
geance on the weeds and expect a
splendid harvest of good things. You
will get it, because you will be worthy
Of it.
Manure made from animals fed on
clover hay is worth twice as much as
manure from animals fed on timothy
hay
After narrowing the different fields
back and forth go around them once
or twice to mellow up any Jumps that
you may have skipped.
When spring opens don't be in too
great a hurry to turn the stock on the
pastures. Wait till the grass gets a
start You will need it more next
August.
The farmer with plenty of alfalfa Or
clover hay has little need to buy mill
feed. Most farmers can raise one or
the other if they will use enough
gunption.
A certain farmer spent whole sea-
son growing big crop of sunfiower
seed and then began to inquire where
he could sell it. Look for the market
first.
The cattle will get uneasy these
days longing for the hills and the
fresh pastures. Feed them a little
better, and do all you can to make
them patient. 1t will be better for
them and for you. too.
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1908-05-07
SPRINGS FOR FARM WAGONS.
Big Saving in Comfort and Money &c.
fected by Their Use.

A big saving in money and in COM
fort could be made by the universal
use of springs on farm wagons. Per-
ishable products, like fruit, vegetables
and eggs, are greatly Injured by be-
ing carried to market over rough
roads. The jolting and Earring from
springless wagons result in much In
jury to the load. This is often so
great that buyers will cut the price
from one-fourth to one-third
Peaches carried ten miles on a
SpringleSS wagon are often unfit to
ship when they arrive at the car. The
loss on this one crop alone is very
heavy. Large peach grow ers and or
chardists know full we'll that their
fruit must be handled like eggs, so
they use light wagons with flexible
springs, and draw small load Small
farmers and growers, with only an
acre or two, cannot afford orchard
wagons, but they would save enough
on each load to pay for good set
of bolster springs.
The use of springs is also a great
comfort to the driver OF the load.
Furthermore, says Farm and Home,
they lengthen the life of the wagon,
because they take up the jolts and the
jars. Even for drawing grain, hay, po-
tatOes and other farm crops they are
very useful. The load rides much bet
ter, is not so likely to shake off, and
the comfort to the driver, who must
spend a good share of his time on
the wagon, is unreasonable.
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1908-05-07

of the various directions in which the
money is expended. During the nine
months of the fiscal year the main
tenance Of that vessel cost $410,53102.
OF this amount $232,74988 was for the
pay of her officers and crew Com
muted rations amounted to $1S,8769O.
For pilotage and postage the sum of
$1,617.71 was expended. The value of
stores expended in the various depart
ments was as follows: Ordnance,
$11,645.09; construction and repair,
$7,339.62; steam engineering, $685.
82945; equipment, $7,287.09; supplies
and accounts, $42,23345: repairs to
hull, machinery, and equipage, 1884,
96029.
Gun Practice Is Costly.
The $11,645.O9 expended for ord
nance was mainly for the powder and
shell used at target practice. A CORE
spondent who is with the fleet esti-
mates that the cost of the ammunition
expended at target practice in Magda-
lena bay alone foots up to total cost
of 100000 THAT expenditure" he
says, in giving the views of the Off
GERS, is not expensive. On the con-
trary, it is the best money spent by
the United States navy. 1t is the pre-
MUM of insurance paid annually for
efficiency, and it will prove it's value
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1908-05-07
THOUGHT EXPERT CARE NEEDED.
Therefore MIR. Locke Respectfully Parted
with the Fern.

The one special charge which Mrs.
Locke gave her husband on the eve
of her departure for a fortnight's visit
to a friend was her fern-her beauti-
full, wide-spreading fern. Don't for
get it while I'm away visiting, will
you, Henry?" she pleaded: and Mr..
Locke answered that the fern should
be forever on his mind till she re-
turned
Therefore, when on the evening of
her arrival she noticed with a start
that the fern was not in its accus-
toned place, she turned reproachful
eyes on her husband.
Now, my dear, let me tell you,"
said Mr.. Locke, glibly, "if ever a man
kept his word, 1 did. That-er-that
fern was on my mind day and night.
1 scarcely ever forgot it. 1 watered it
oh, l must have watered it four or
five times the first two days. I wanted
to be sure it had enough.
"Then the water began to run out
of the saucer, SO / left it alone-en.
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1908-05-07

tirely untouched, my dear, for the
next three or four days, just as you
would treat a person who had over
eaten.
Then when it began to look a trifle
dry l watered it again, very faithfully,
but it began to look curious, very GU
rious So l just took it around to the
florist, and he said he'd better look
after it for week or so.
He told me that both Jennings and
Wilkinson had brought their wives
ferns to him the day before-same
kind as yours. He says ferns are
something like chihren-they miss
the person they are used to, my dear"
Il think very likely they do" said
his wife, dry!y.-Youth's Companion.
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1908-05-07
FEEDING MoIdy Bread.

When the birds have been fed a
great deal of moldy bread they are
liable to develop disease known as
mold" While the trouble is very
difficult to treat, it will usually yield
to a dose of two drops of carbolic acid
made into pill by mixing with little
bran or cornmeal and forced down the
birds throat. Repeat the dose once
each alternate day till relief comes.
When the disease has become very
pronounced, rarely any medicine will
effect a cure. Change the feed to
clean, bright grain.
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1908-05-07
SEWAGE IN THE COUNTRY.
System for the Farm Which Will Work
Satisfactorily.

The question is often asked by the
farmer how one could have a bath
room in the country, with safe disposal
of house sewage, especially where the
land is quite level.
A few years ago there was no
known way of doing this that was safe
periments made in the treatment of
sewage and waste from water closets
have revealed some curious truths con-
corning bacteria and their ways. 1t
seems that certain bacteria attack or
ganic matter and destroy it best when
they are in perfect darkness and also
shut away from oxygen. These bac-
terra will not cause sewer gas nor will