davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-28
SUSPICIOUS TRUNK
 COMES ID ENSLEY


 Ensley, February 27.-(Special. )-A trunk came into the city this morning over the Southern railway from Selma, and as soon as it arrived everyone at the express office wanted to know just what was in it. It was very noticeable that the trunk was leaking and no one believed that it was plain water. The man at the express office became sus- picious of the contents and he notified the police department about it, stating that he thought it was Just possible that it was an alcohol trunk.
 Officer John Wren went down to the station and when he arrived on tho scene half of the contents were gone. Shortly after his arrival a negro dray- man named Hosey Gibson drove up and presented a check for the trunk. He was asked who the trunk was for and he replied that he could not say He even refused to state where he got the check. This brought on more talk and Officer Wren decided that 1t would be a good idea to take him to Jail. As a result, Gibson is in the jail, the trunk is empty, and the horse and dray are in the pound.
 Gibson will be given a hearing to- morrow morning. before Mayor Suggs, and he will be called upon to tell for whom he was trying to get the trunk.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-28
Imnroyement of Waterways

ais country has fine rivers and yet they are poorly developed. Comment ing upon the preliminary report of the inland waterways commission President Roosevelt expresses the opinion that in view of the use made of rivers elsewhere, the failure to use our own is astonishing, and no thoughtful man can believe it will last"
 The preliminary report of the Bur ton commission, of swhich Senator Pankhead is a member, is full of find ings and recommendations. It desires that the consideration of the develop ment of power and the purification Of waters shall be taken into considera- ton in future improvement plans. It wants cooperation, too, between waterway and railway facilities. It wants continuous and definite plans for future use, and it recommends that Congress be asked to authorize the coordination and proper development of existing public services connected with waterways, and it suggests that a national waterways commission to bring into coordination all branches of the public service in so far as their work relates to inland waterways be appointed.
 In the execution of the great task the Atlantic watershed, the Missis- sippi valley, the gulf slope and the great lakes with their watershed are grouped together as the Atlantic in- terior system, and is placed first in the list, but the entire plan is broad, covering the entire country so far as the inland waterways of nature will permit. The subject is now fairly be- fore Congress, and the working out of definite system is task that 1t must soon or late grapple with, for every year the demand for interior waterways will increase, just as it did in Germany and France.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-28
Game and Birds In Alabama

Tomorrow the open season closes in this state on wild turkey, quails, doves, swans, wild geese, brant, rails, coots, mudhens, sandpipes, woodcocks and curlews-all but snipe and plover, the open season of which extends to May 1. State Game Commissioner Wallace asks all hunters to take notice of the approaching close of the open season, and to govern themselves accordingly.
 The commissioner congratulates the people of Alabama upon the fact that the operation of the new game law has increased the game in this state not less than 40 per cent. Not in years has game been so abundant, and sportsmen are respecting the law. Pub lie sentiment sustains it, and Con- gratifying results in the coming years. Already the pot hunters and game hogs are routed. The shipment of quails from this state has been stopped, and so has the slaughter of the robins. The land owners are cooperating with the game wardens in taeir respective coun- ties, and throughout the state there is arising due appreciation of the eco homie ' salue of game and bird p-utec- ton.
 Would it not be possible, too, to e. store to our fields the mocking bird? Its notes were once the delight of the southern people, and if Commissioner Wallace could restore the splendid songsters to our fields and forests he would earn the gratitude of every true son of the soil.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-28
SelectinQ School Books

A new contract for school books for five years from October is to be made by the book commission recently ap- pointed by Governor Conner, and it is believed the new commission will se- feet books adapted to the present stage of school development in this state.
 Some of the books now in use in the public schools, notably the one on arithmetic, have been considered by not a few teachers as misfits, but even that complaint did not lessen the pop ularity of the new system. No one is
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-28
ADRlFT WITH THE TIMES

newspaper men, several of whom were formerly connected with Birmingham pa- pers. Cartoons. funny sketches, jokes and other entertaining features abound. One of the jokes which will be appreciated by friends of Mr. Evans in Birmingham is as follows:
 TN THE STAR OFFICE. Advance Agent-1s the dramatic edi- tor in?
 ''Bvans-No, but can go out and get drink !" so1.E MORE OVER THE TELEPHONE ,"B--r--r-r!"
 'Helol'
 eIs that the editorial room of the clar- ion?9
 Yes"
 Could you tell me how many counties there are in Missssippi?'
 "B--r--r-r!"
 ''Hellof
 "Is that eghty-four-elghty-fou "The Clarion office?'
 "Yes."
 Did the weather report say it would l rain today?" Hello! Eighty four -eighty-fourr' "Is that eighty four eghtyfour" Yes"
 "Eighty-four- -eighty-four?"
 Yes"
 'aThe Clarion office?' sYes"
 well, I am Mrs. Clumpley. am get ting up a paper on Goethe to be read at the next meeting of our literary society and I wanted to know if you wouldn't give me a few points?' "B--r-r-r!' "Iellol Eighty-four- -eighty-four" 'Is that eighty-four- -eighty-four?" Yes"
 Could you tell me how many rounds Sullivan and Kilrain fought? We want to decide bet"
 "B--r-r-rl"
 "Heno!ll Eighty-fo four-eighty-four!l!" "Is that the Clarion?'
 "Yesiir'
 Would you mind telling me who wrote Three Weeks'?'
 IF MARRIED. The man who stays out Very late
 Will have some trouble
 With his mate.
 A CHEERFUL FELLOW. The sunshine of his nature He scattered all around, Into the darkest corners,
 Wherever grief was found. He had a stock of courage That drove despair away And made his stricken neighbors
 Hope for better day His presence was a blessing, Because he seemed to know The recipe for gladness, The antidote for woe PAUL COOK.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-28
NEGRO'S RECITAL
 OF BASE CRIME

Pittsburg, February 27.-The deposition of Clifford Hooe, the negro coachman, taken on behalf of Millionaire Augustus Hartje, in support of his divorce petition against his wife in which the negro stated that. during his employment with the Hartje family there had been improper relations between himself and Mrs. Hartje was read to the jury in the conspiracy case against Hartje, his friend John l.. Welshons, and Hooe late today. This was the first time the text of the deposi- tion was made public It is disguesting recital which Hooe has since declared in sworn statements has no foundation in fact
 Welshons, a prominent east end mer- chant, is accused of having planned for Hooe for making of the charges and Hoe for the making of the charges and in preparing several statements and the final deposition to aid Hartje in his di- vorce suit, and Hartje is accused of having conspired with Welshons and Hooe for the use of this testimony. These accusations form the bases of the case now on trial, the three having been in- dicted for conspiracy and subornation of nerillry
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-28
Personal and General.

Senator John A. Lusk was in the city this afternoon shaking hands with his many friends and admirers in this city. It is known that the senator is going to be a candidate for the position of associate justice of the supreme court, and while he was going the rounds, he took occasion to put in few wedges in regard to his candidacy.
 The Thread of the Story club met this afternoon with Mrs. Lawrence Penning- ton on Avenue F.
 A number of books were read and an enjoyable afternoon was spent. After the reading delicious refreshments were served The club will hold another meet ing the latter part of next week.
 J. R. Acuff is a candidate for the Board of Revenue. Through an error he was reported in this mornings issue as being from Pratt City. MT. Acuff is an old resident of this city and is well known.
 Judge c. H. Mandy has moved his of- fee to the corner of Nineteenth street and Avenue E. above Edwards phar- macy.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-28

In a year the favorable trade bal ance of January has been nearly doubled, breaking all records, and re- storing confidence rapidly. The pace of January, if long maintained, will soon drive from all minds all appre- tensions, and the recuperative power of this great country will then be in full swing and strength. Business life will take on a new aspect, and rail- road earnings will assuredly show up better if the crops of the present year are at all good.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-28
Business Picking Up

All begin to see that the October panic cannot create a long trail of dullness as previous panics had done simply because of the quick turn in our foreign trade. When all see our exports increasing while our imports are decreasing, all see at once that as a reople we are getting rich-so rich that gold exports may soon be- come undesirable if not impossible. The movement in January in late years has been as follows:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-28
LOCAL OPTION
 FOR KENTUCKY

Frankfort, Ky, February N.-The Wag- goner county unit bill, which extends the local option law uniformly to all counties in the state, passed the house today by vote of 75 to A.
 The bill has been the bone of con tention in the general assembly ever since this session began, both democrats and republicans charging each other with using it as a club in the senatorial con test.
 The measure now goes to the senate. where the sentiment towards it Is believed to be more. evenly divided than in the lower house.
 The democrats tonight are claiming a signal advantage over the republicans In the senatorial contest. The anti-Beckham men combined with his supporters to- day to break the quorum on joint ses- sion, claiming that tre republicans re- fuse to pair with the absent democrats hoping to elect Bradley.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-28
THE BELLS OF LYNN.

By Longfellow. O curfew of the setting sun! o Bells of
 Lynn requiem of the dying day! o Bells of
 Lynn From the dark belfries of yon cloud
 cathedral waited, Your sounds aerial seem to float, O Bells
 of Lynn Borne on the evening wind across the
 crimson twilight, Der land and sea they rise and fall, o
 Bells of Lynn The fisherman in his boat, far out beyond
 the headland, Listens, and leisurely rows ashore, O
 Bells of Lynn! Over the shining sands the wandering
 cattle homeward Follow each other at your call, Bells
 of Lynn. The distant lighthouse hears, and with
 his flaming signal Answers you, passing the watchword on,
 Bells of Lynn And down the darkening coast run tho tumultuous surges, And clap their hands and shout to you.
 Bells of Lynn Till from the shuddering sea, with your
 wild incantations, Ye summon up the spectral moon, O Bells
 of Lynn! And startled at the sight like the weird
 woman of Endor, Ye cry aloud and then afa still o Bells
 of LynnI
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-28
Next Board of Revenue

Convicts have been used to great ad- vantage on public road work in sev- eral states, notably in North Caro- lima, where the county of Mecklen- burg, of which Charlotte is the seat, has splendid system of macadamized highways and the experiment must be tried here in Jefferson county. Notwithstanding the arguments ad- vanced in favor of working county con victs on the roads a majority of the members of the Board of Revenue are avowedly opposed to this plan and will not agree to give it the trial that conditions demand.
 Without criticising the Board The Age-Herald thinks it would be well for voters, before casting their bal lots in the May primary, to learn how the candidates for the Board of Reve- nue stand on the question of trying the convict experiment and to vote for no candidate who is not committed to that proposition. Those who have read in The Age-Herald the letters of Sam uel T. Stowe of Charlotte, engineer of the roads of Mecklenburg county, must have been impressed with that experts exhaustive discussion of road building and of the emphasis laid upon the practical advantage of using con vict labor in making and repairing the highways. Two convincing facts are these: First, Mecklenburg county, under MT. Stowes engineering admin istration, has model roads; second. convicts have been employed with economy.
 Many of our most thoughtful and practical citizens earnestly favor the use of convicts on the Jefferson county roads and board should be elected that will give the plan which has worked we'll in North Calolina thorough test here. The fact that the convict experiment was once tried and failed Is no reason why excellent re- suits cannot be obtained now, under the right sort of engineering super vision. As MT. Stowe suggests, one trouble in this county was the experi- ment was too quickly abandoned Like all large undertakings involving questions of economy, the experiment under consideration should have a thorough demonstration. Certain it is that with free labor the board, al ways meaning well, has not sue ceeded in giving us a system of good roads. The highways are a disgrace to the county.
 All the people of Jefferson demand first class highways. No question is of more absorbing interest than this of road building. With the farmer it is uppermostA Let him take a practical view of the matter and vote for the candidates who are committed to the convict plan. Now that the whole community is aroused it Is safe to say +I,a+ tbo navt hoard will move with alacrity in putting convicts to work On the county roads.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-28
Good Times Predicted.

The receivers of the Southern Steel company met this afternoon and sub mitted their report. It is understood from reliable source that it is the intention of the company to resume operations in this city on large scale within the near future The reorgan- ization of the company Will mean that all the mines and mills will resume operations, including the rod iron and nail mills. When this comes to pass it will mean that practically everything in Ensley will be running on full time and it will also mean that some of the men who have been laid off within the past few months will be given steady employment
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-28
PRIESTS SLAYER
 SOON TO BE TRIED

Denver, Colo, February 27.-The first step in the legal proceedings which it is believed will speedily send Giuseppe Alio to the gallows for them urder of Father Leo, was taken today. when Alio was for mally arranged on the charge of mur- der. 4
 Through an interpreter, Alio was asked if he expected to secure lawyer to de- fend him, and he replied that he expect ed the Italian consul would attend to that. He was told that this was improbable and was asked if he did not want the court to appoint counsel.
 If that is the law, yes,' he replied.
 Robert IH Widdicombe was then ap- pointed as counsel for the defense and Peter Bessie as interpreter for the trial. Alio will plead to the charge of murder Saturday, and at that time date will be set for his trial.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-28
BOARD REDUCES SALARIES.
Laborers for County Will Receive SIPS
 Per Day in Future.

The county Board of Revenue met yes terday morning in regular session and in adition to passing on the eity's claim for funds, it was also regularly moved and carried by the board that on and after March. ]. the salaries of the road overseers be reduced from s75 to S7O per month and the wages of laborers from $1.5O to s1.25 day.
 A new road was established by the board, to be in precinct 9, and to be known as "The Hoadley road. It will run from the Mary Lee commissary northwest to Walkers chapel.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-28
REFLECTIONS OF A BACHELOR.

From the New York Post.
 A woman can forgive Providence most anything but a bad complexion.
 Some girls get engaged to a man so as to make up their minds whether to marry him.
 An awful uncomfortable feeling is when you can't remember the next day the excuse you gave the night before.
 The satisfactory thing about pessimism is how much worse things always turn out than it expected they would.
 There's hardly any deeper insult you can give young woman than to inti- mate that some day she may be grand mother.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-28
One Effect of Low Prices.

Keep hammering away until you get the cost of living cut down and you will notice an increase in the issuance of marriage licenses,' said Deputy United States Marshal George Washington Brown yesterday afternoon. q think everybody will agree with me when I say we need more marriages in Birming- ham, but until groceries, house rent, clothing and other necessities of life get down to a reasonable basis, we single fellows will have to stay in our state of single-cussedness. Hurry up and cheapen things. I want to tie up."
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-28
DR. NEWFIELp's ANNOUNCEMENT
Learned Rabbi Will Discuss Interest.
 Ing Subjects.

At Temple Emanuel tonight Dr. New field will begin series of lectures in connection with his Friday night scrv.ces. The topics Cor tas course will be as follows:
 February 2s, Religion and the Arts. March 6, Religion and Literature" March 13, Religion and Music"
 March 20, Religion and Science
 March 27, Religion and Politics." April 8, Religion and Ethics"
 April 10. Religion and Theology" Mrs Gussen, organist and choir director. is arranging especially fine musical pro- grammes for the Friday night services.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-28
To Build Church.

The general building committee ot the Methodist church met in the office of J. M Perkins & Go. Wednesday aft ernoon. The report of the finance com mittee was heard, also that of the SD > cial building committee. Each report showed much progress made In the work. The meeting adjotfrned pend . ing further investigation into the plans and specifications by the special build ing committee, which will report at the meeting in the above office Friday night at 7:30 o'clock.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-28
St. Patrick,s Day.

The celebration of St. Patrick's Day will be held this year under the aus pices of the Ladies' Aid society of St. Anthony's church in Ensley. The Irish American club has given way to the society and will attend the celebration in a body The celebration will take place on the night of Monday, the 17th, at the opera house. Music, oratory and song will be the order of the exercises.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-28
Result of Habit.

Habit" Said pr. Heacock yesterday, lis hard to break, especially where the people of Jefferson county are concerned I suppose, %however. that they are ex- cusable in my case, for the habit has extended over nine years.
 "since my resignation from the office of county physician the habit of bring ings their troubles to me has stuck fast in the brains of half the people in the county. am called upon every day for duties which only the county physician can possibly perform. However, I have gotten out of the habit of sdrawing the salary for my past office, as -~Dr. Me- Adory is now the acting physician"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-28
Satisfied With Business.

While our business has not been quite as active since January 1 as it was the first two months of last year, yet it has been, nevertheless, very good" remarked a prominent furniture merchant. T had feared that it would be poor year. but if
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-28

A Massachusetts man has died and left a trust fund to provide an au- nual old-fashioned speeding bee, much to the disgust of the simplified spellers
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-28
A FEW BoREs.

The man who says 'I told you so, The man who thinks he's wise, The man who swears there's nothing new And everything denies The man. who seeks an argument On any fool excuse The man who has no confidence And murmurs, What's the use?' The man who's always finding fault And talks about it, too, The man who fails to see the good In anything l do. The man who borrows money that He never pays me back, The man who will discredit what l have by what l lack. The man who calls and talks all day When I am way behind, The man who likes to interrupt My work-my daily grind. The man who thinks he's funny when He's anything but that, The man who is impertinent
 And has an answer pat. The man whose head is greatly swelled, The man whose gift is gab, The man who keeps on drinking when He ought to take cab. The man who doesn't like his job And yet s afraid to quit, The man who does a favor small And wants his pay for it. The man who plays the silly ass At morning, noon and night, The 1lan who proves I'm in the wrong, While he is in the right. The man who does what I can't do- No greater bore than hei The man who sings another's praise, But never praises me.
 STOPPING HIM. Iris easy quite to tell the chap
 Who's hard of head and mulish, For what he says is common sense,
 But what you say is foolish.
 REPLIES
 A spiral staircase is severe test of mans capacity.
 Romance won't have anything to dc with a suffragette.
 A great many people with literary am bitions work for newspapers. A man with no mechanical ingenuity Tcan invent excuses for his wife. When man is tight he talks, but wher money is tight it keeps mum. A knaek of attracting attention is oftef mistaken for ability in this world. Nothing is more annoying than to be sal upon.
 THE CHATTANOOGA BUNCH" John Troublesome" Evans, assistan managing editor of the Chattanooga Star has sent to Birmingham friends copies O a humorous paper issued by the Chatta nooga Press club on the occasion of theil recent banquet, which was, by the way a great success. On the first page is ( morse shoe'' picture of the Chattanooga
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-28
Rusiness. .lmnrovInn.

'There seems to be a decided improve ment in the mercantile business said John L. Parker, the druggist. My safes have been larger this month than they were in February, 1907, and my business has been in round figures $12OO better than it was in January. These facts are cer- tainly encouraging"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-28
Will Be Elected Delegate.

W. T. Brown of St. Clair, president of the Ragland Coal company, was in Bir- mingham yesterday. He is one of the his friends of the Seventh district are going to elect him a delegate to the Den yer convention. MT. Brown reports every democrat in St. Clair enthusiastic for Bryan
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-28

business keeps up as well as it has been during the past eight weeks l will have no reason to complain. This time last year my concern was doing a phenomen- ally big business. and it is not small now by any means"