davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-15
ITALIANS IN AMERICA

are congregated in towns. They have small love for the country as a place of residence Landowners, farmers and most of the laborers dwell together in their boroughs or hamlets, and the peas- ants often have-especially in Sicily-a journey of several miles in order to reach the fields where they work. Then they are ignorant of farming conditions in America. Moreover, when they arrive they usually seek out their friends and through them obtain employment In New York they find work easily at good wages without going further"
 As far as possible the Italian officials here are doing all they can to safeguard the newcomers from the evils which threaten the unsuspectng on arrival in a new country They guard them from going to any unhealthy country or to one where there is no work On the other side, the government officials look after the health of the Italian passengers, aid them in many ways and see that agents land them at their proper destination in America. On this side the federal gov ernment also looks faithfully after their interests. successful effort is now be- ing made to have these immigrants set- tie in many of the southern and south- western states to engage in farming.
 As regards a much-talked-of secret so- ciety, Baron Ranches is quoted as say. ing:
 '"The Black Hand society is by no means a powerful organization, as Is i'm agined in some quarters. It seems to have originated in Sicily, and whenever one or two Sicilians desire to levy blackmail they write a letter and place upon 1t the insignia of the Black Hand. The criminals of other countries have taken advantage of the discredit which this practice has thrown upon Italians gon- erally and use the insignia in their com munieations, thus evading suspicion. You may be certain there is no large and powerful society. There are small groups of swinders who should be caught and punished. A society known as the White Hand has just been formed in Chicago. It comprises Sicilians, and its purpose is to hunt down relentlessly all persons en- gagged in Black Hand work"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-15
LONESOME IN TOWN.

By John G. Neihardt. The long day wanes, the fog shuts
 down,
 The eave-trough spouts and sputters; The rain signs through the huddled
 town
 And mumbles in the gutters. The emptied throughfares become Long streams of eery light; They issue from the mist and, dumb. Flow onward out. of sight. The snarling trolley grumbles past. Its snapping wire glows; Again where yon pale light Is cast The hackman's horses doze. In vain the bargain windows wink, The passersby are few The grim walls stretch away and
 shrink
 In dull electric blue A stranger hurries down the street. Hat dripping, face aglow; 0 happy feet, O homing feet, know where mine would go! For oh, far over hills and dells. The cows come up the lane, With steaming Hanks and fog-dulled
 bells A-tinkle in the rain.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-15
"The Immortal 6nn.v

Many of the younger generation and some of the older inquired for the mean- ing of the Immortal Six Hundred ban her carried in the parade" said a vet eran.
 These are the survivors of the 500 pris- oners at sullivans Island. who were ex- posed to the fire of the guns of their comrades in an effort to force them to take the oath of allegiance to the Unlon Of the 600 and odd only Is yielded They were fed on rotten meal for 45 days and ate rats and several cats. They were sorry they ate the cats because they found it harder to catch the rats them- selves. They were divided up and were exposed to the fire of the guns of Sumter and other forts, but remained steadfast' .
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-15

'pranking, came near being serious. The chauffeur and others in the auto car seemed bent on having fun; other wise the tree. I think would have been spared. Had it not been for the tree the automobile would have run into the coping of the sidewalk and there might then have been bad ac- cident. At is was somebody may have to pay damages.
 This leads he to remark that there is entirely too much carelessness and too much daring on the part of chauf- feurs I do nat beliece in making tho laws too rigid. But from the way some of the high speeders' proceed on thor oughfares, it is time for the public to rise up and protest. Even the most ex- pert and vigilant of chauffeurs should keep down their speed on all frequen>7d streets inside the city limits
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-15
JOHNNlES IN MOURNING.
New York Correspondence in Pittsburg Dispatch.

New York Correspondence in Pittsburg
 Dispatch.
 All the Johnnies who travel about Broadway seem to be in mourning. Since spring has arrived and light weight apparel is the habit nearly every other Broadwayite one sees has mourning or chevron band sewed to his left sleeve. This avoids a band around the hat and the wearer evil dently desires to impress upon a cruel world the bangs that tear his heart. But if the Johnny only knew with how much disdain the foreigner re- gards those mourning bands he would try to keep posted on imported fads. The chevron custom comes from old England "doncher know?" Fancy heavy swell over in Lunnon decorating his left wing with one of them when the custom was only invented for household servants whose titled mas- ter had Kicked the bucket" Little things like that, however, fail to dls- courage the young Johnny with an eye to color, even if the visiting Briton Is astonished when he sees so many we'll l-dressed young ones masquerading in the role of a fiunkey.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-15
Add to CitY'S Beauty

Birmingham is already distinguished for its natural beauty and for it's beau tiful homes and beautiful streets. Red mountain is in itself a thing of beauty and within the city limits are land scape effects of rare charm. But if the people will support Mayor Ward fin the movement which he is starting for i'm proving and beautifying all sections of Birmingham, the city will be made still more attractive as place of residence. The Mayor desires the women to take ganize societies for enhancing the ap- pearance of such blocks especially as have been neglected.
 Much has been done in an educa- tional way to stimulate in the public a taste for the beautiful. But in order to give this work concrete form the Mayor suggests that society with "the city beautiful in view be organ ized in every block. Cleanliness and the disappearance of ugliness should be first in mind. After the back yards, as we'll as the front yards, are put in clean condition, then fences and side- walks and trees and grass plots should receive attention.
 Tn the more elegant sections the premises are kept in model condition all the year round and the lawns are marvels of beauty. With the organiza- ton of block societies, all Birmingham could be brought easily in line with the city beautiful" idea. Such move ment would result at once in spirit of emulation; and in carrying out the proposed scheme, the expense to the individual would be next to nothing. Let the block societies be formed.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-15
Increase In Freight Rates

The railroads in the north lying east of the Mississippi river announced that their rates would be advanced to an extent equal to 10 per cent. The man. ufacturers at once organized to resist the proposed advance, and legal bat tie between the manufacturers and Ae railroads would certainly have taken place. The case would practically have been entitled "The Shippers versus The Carriers" and no legal stone would have been left unturned in the struggle. The interstate commerce commission would have been first asked to declare the proposed advance in freight rates unreasonable, and after the commission had completed its work some way no doubt would have been found to carry a test case into the courts under the antitrust act.
 While the shippers would have con tested the matter with the carriers, after all the real party that would have been harmed by an advance In rates would have consisted of consum- CTS, who are never organized, never ill fighting trim And yet it is the con sumer who would pay any increase in rates The consumer pays everything. He pays all rates and all charges, but he does not appear in court, for he is a docile, unorganized. creature, who never puts up fight.
 The railroads cannot, as the tariff stands, buy materials cheaper, and they cannot cut wages freely, and if dividends are to be maintained on watered securities an increase in freight rates seemed to be the only remedy in sight. The consumer would thus have been caught again in a trap, and he would have had small redress in a country that pays small respect 10 the wrongs of the plain but morgan ized citizen.
 But, fortunately, the railroads have abandoned all attempts to secure an increase in rates, to take effect July or at any other near-at-hand time. Bus mess conditions are improving; the harvesters are hastening to fields full of fine crops, and the railroads no doubt prefer to await new business than to provoke at this time a war all along the line because of a con- certed effort on their part to raise rates, thereby violating the terms oi the antitrust act For common action by the railroads in the matter of rates would be plain violation of the spirit of the Sherman act.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-15
Summer of Prosperity

Today marks an important stage in the revival of industrial activity in the Birmingham district For weeks past there has been a gradual resumption of mining and manufacturing plants. Many of the industries hereabouts have been kept going right along, regard less of last October's panic and the business depression that followed. This has been especially the case in North Birmingham, where practically all the plants continued in operation. But several of the large concerns in the district had to shut down temporarily: and it is the resumption of idle stacks within the past few weeks that has given new impulse to business here.
 The Tennessee company's rail mill at Ensley starts up today, and by req son of the commanding importance of that plant as factor in the industrial ile Ol the ulSulct the effect Is eX- ceptionally animating and far-reaehing. In anticipation of the resumption of activity at Ensley bouyancy in busi- ness circles has heen in evidence for a month past. Ani it will not be long now before payroll money in increased volume will be in circulation. With crop prospects good, with the iron mar ket active and with thousands of wage workers who had been on the waiting list again at work, Birmingham will have a summer of prosperity in spite of the fact that a presidential campaign oonfronts the country.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-15
BRIEFS FROM ABROAD.
From the Wall Street Journal.

From the Wall Street Journal.
 The number of families in France is estimated at 11,315,0 ,000, of which 1,SO4- 720 have no children.
 Manchurla already receives 1000 ca ble messages a day from Japan. The doubling of the cables Is probable.
 Sira-u -Lillah- wad -din- -Ameer-Habib- Una-Kahn, Ameer of Afghanistan, has to have his name vestibuled to pull it all at once.
 According to the report of the geolo- gical survey of British India the pro- duction of coal in that country in 1907 was 9,763, ,25O tons.
 There is a successful fox farm on Prince Edward Island. Skins in their green condition are valued at from $20O to $250 each, one or two having been sold for $450
 A leading Swiss scientist declared that the Roentgen rays can be so ap- piled that white horses become black. He is now experimenting on old gen tlemen's boards.
 Zinc coffins are largely used In Vien- ma. The more expensive ones are made of copper, and cost as much as S250o' while a bronze and copper coffin re- gently made for a Russian archduke cost over 5000.
 New Zealand is described by its in- habitants as the 'happiest country in the world" It is now dominion Some of the pretty names given to it by New Zealanders are "The Fortunate Isles,' "The Wonderland of the Pa cific," All Lands in One" and "The Star of the South.'
 When Lord Cromer described the immense wealth" of Egypt in re- peated reports, the deposits of oil on the Red Sea and the gold mines east of Luxor and Assouan, with stories of rich veins farther south, were used in Europe to float stocks and maintain prices of all sorts of securities. But 20 years ago the state department pub Cardnell, in which he treated the pre- tentions of Gebel zeit to rival Batoum, or oil City, as mere stock -jobbing opef- ations, and fiouted the idea that practi- cal wells could even be sunk "Petro- leum Hill' is ancient of name; and there is an extant map of an Egyptian gold mine worked in A. D. 1900; but the companies formed to resume oper- ations have been uniformly unsuccess- ful as to dividends. At the annual | meeting of the Nile Valley (new) com pany in London few days ago, the | chairman, R. J. Price, said the mine: were not worked at a good profit. Dur | ing the two years of the company's | existence $105,O00 worth of gold was sent away, while at~the mine alone | the expenditures were $170,00e, the company thus paying 30 shillings sterl- l ing for each fl of gold produced. Ths ! chairman hopefully remarked that however, this was lone of the mines where you could never tell what was going to happen next" And the stock holders approved the report and re- solved to go ahead with reconstructio. | of the Droperty
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-15
From the Boston Globe.

0 many unreliable statements "A have been made against the Ital- O ians in America as a class, 1t is pleasant to have such an eminent author ity as Baron Ranches, the Italian ambas- sador to the United States, enlighten the public concerning the position in our population of the members of this great industrial race who have been coming to our shores for many years.
 Immigrants are still leaving Italy for America, but as they eventually make good citizens and add to the farming wealth of the country they are cousid- cred desirable addition to the popula- tion by all the official authorities who have gathered data concerning the lives they lead. the work they perform and their ambition to remain here and accum- ulate property. Our national bureau of labor speaks in the most complimentary terms of the Italians, asserting that they are industrious, well behaved, progress sive and generally peaceable.
 The distribution of this race in this country is explained by Baron Ranches to a New York Times interviewer. Ac- cording to his data there are about 1,S10,- GOO Italians in the United States, many of whom were born here Most of them live in the Atlantic coast states. New York has 500000, Boston from 50,000 to 60,000, Philadelphia 2O0O0, while in such cities as Newark, Hoboken, Elizabeth and in towns of New England there are on an average from 1900 to 15,00O In Chicago there are 100000. Detroit has 12,oO0. Sixty thousand are living pros perously in California. In New Orleans and vicinity there are 25,000.
 At first the Italian immigrants were Genoese, Piedmontese and Tuscans. Dur ing the last b years most of them are from southern Italy, and include Sicil- fans, Calabrians, pulians, etc. Practically 50 per cent of the immigrants are agricul- tural laborers. In answer to the com mon query, why more of these last do not seek American farm life, the ambas- sador says:
 ''It should be understood that the great mass of our southern people at home, while engaged in agricultural pursuits,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-15
SOME HUMAN MONSTERS

found himself a widower for a thirl time with five boys on his hands.
 He fell in love with young and pretty girl, but she refused to marry him on the ground that one could not be bur dened with five stepchildren.
 One after another the children began to die and by the eEd of two years all five were in their graves. Then Mancini again presented himself to the girl and demanded her hand. But the strange se- quence of deaths had excited the sus- picions of the girls parents and they .n- formed the police. It was conclusiveiy proved that Mancini had starved all his children to death and later it came out that he had got rid of his wives by mur- dering them.
 Every one remembers the reign of ter TOT caused in London by the horrible crimes of the unknown criminal called Jack the Ripper" In December 1906 the town of Kiel was thrown into abso- lute panic by the performances of a homioidal lunatie of similar type.
 Only here, not women only, but men also were the victims The criminal used en instrument of such amazing sharp ness that his victims, whom he stabbed as he passed them, rarely realized they were wounded until some minutes later, when they found themselves losing blood In all, over 80 people were stabbed, some in two or three places, but though Ber- lin detectives were brought down to re- inforce the town police, the offender was never discovered
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-15
PLAcArINo ROOSEVELT.
n the Springfield Republican.

From the Springfield Republican.
 There is good story told by one of the special correspondents in Chicago to illustrate the plight of those who have opposed the nomination of Secre- tary Taft. It is one that Private John Allen once told on Gen. Josiah Patter- son of Tennesse. General Patterson commanded the rear guard of de- feated Confederate force which was in full retreat and being pressed hard by the victorious Union army. His men in the rear guard began to exch angc volleys with the oncoming foe. "Don't shoot at them," shouted General Pat terson in great excitement. Tit only makes them mad" The important matter in good many republican quarters just now Is to keep the man In the White House good natured.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-15
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
A Long Belt.

T have just closed a contract with the Birmingham Railway, Light and Power company for one of the largest belts made said s. E. Clark of the Ohio Rub Der company.
 Tt will be 30 inches wide, 425 feet long and Will weigh 500 pounds, and the cost will be about s15oo. It will convey power from the engines to the dynamos used for lighting and street car service.
 This belt is made in sections of fibre, which are joined by hydraulics, and the rubber is put on by the same process ap- piled differently. The belt will last long time. and will supply a lot of juice as the street car men call the current"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-15

tection-would be no revision at all. Each interest would fight to be let alone, and the sum total would be d robber scheme worse probably in some respects than the Dingiey tariff which has been pretty accurately defined as the sum of all villainies.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-15
REFLECTIONS OF A BACHELOR

From the New York Press.
 The reason a bride promises to obey her husband is because she doesn't in- tend to.
 There's hardly anything a man is more ashamed of than always coming home on time.
 girl doesn't dare to forget to say her prayers for fear 1t might spoil her complexion.
 One of the most exciting things in a woman's life is guessing who 1t Is when the telephone rings.
 What a woman admires about her husbands brains Is the way he can make her understand a public question he doesn't understand himself.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-15
A CRAB HABIT.
From the New York Press.

From the New York Press.
 Catch a fresh crab, mash the end of one of his claws and watch with what fierce wrath he will tear off the muti- lated member Is it pride that causes him to do this bit of surgical work? Or is he afraid of blood poisoning? Or is 1t because the maimed claw might obstruct his speed. or entangle him in the submarine botany? The crab is an interesting creature, and, like his big cousin, the lobster, is as scrappy ae | game bantam, often losing a limb in a scuffle.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-15
Gray Returns From Fishing Trip.

Lieutenant Governor H. B. Gray return ed to Birmingham yesterday from De- catur. The lieutenant governor spent the latter part of the week with some friends from Birmingham and Decatur on fish ng trip up along the locks about Muscle Shoals.
 q was amazed at the extent of the government work up there on the Ten nessee river" said MT. Gray. Millions of dollars have been spent and I believe there are few people in the lower sec tions of Alabama who appreciate the mag Etude of the undertaking. The Tennes- see river is a great asset for Alabama. Some day we will see the tremendous water power along the shoals being Utilized in commercial way. My trip has been a great pleasure as well as a revelation to me-"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-15

Little Senator Knox is lost in the shuffle at Chicago. He may win, how ever, second place. for knows all the heavy campaign contributors.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-15
Praise For TeIephone Girls.

Tn the general feeling of felicitation that pervades Birmingham when praise is being bestowed so generously, I wish to say something of the part Miss Electric ity' took in the very successful reunion," said man actively engaged in the work of the greatest week Birmingham ever had
 Notwithstanding that the force was taxed to the point of extreme endurance at very trying task, the telephone girl did her part to add to the fame of the city. I had occasion to use the phone a great deal-often with a series of calls following one on the other-and yet always was promptly and courteousy re- sponded to. I hear 1t from hotels and individuals that the service was the very best, and the telephone system of Bir- mingham will be mark for others to be pointed to when not so satisfactory"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-15

Leslie M. Shaw has given up his headquarters in Chicago. He is the only one of the allies who knows a collapse when he sees it.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-15

General Woodford carried to Chi cago the Hughes boom carefully wrap ped in a bit of tissue paper tagged with a rain check.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-15

Oklahoma is the only state whose name no battleship carries on the high seas, but Ok. is new arrival, and she must wait a while.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-15
Automobile Accident.

q saw an automobile as it ran into a tree in my neighborhood today" said a man who lives on Eleventh avenue and Sixteenth street last night. and the accident. which was. the result of
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-15

B. V. Debs an6 Tom Watson think the interest taken in the Chicago and Denver conventions is uncalled-for and wholly unjustifed.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-15

John Hays Hammond stands charged with the wreeking of the Transvaal republic, but the public has forgotten that little incident.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-15

Taft and Hitchcock and Vorys are training the party elephant to be obe- dient and to sit up when spoken to.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-15

No English sovereign had set foot On Russian soil until King Edward went there with no fears of bombs be- fore his eyes.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-15

The average distinguished delegate as he arrives in Chicago does not ere ate an altogether favorable impress sion,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-15

On account Of the arrival of southern delegates Prince Albert coats have become an everyday sight in Chicago.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-15

Nearly all the federal southern office holders will be seated as delegates at Chicago.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-15

Mortgages on balloons are almost ns untrustworthy as a crap game in Wall street.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-15

All the allies will get will be plank in the platform, and they will have to stand on that or go afoot.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-15

Frank Hitchcock is very nearly tho party boss at this writing. He looms large on the Taft horizon.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-15

A republican convention would not feel right and natural if there were no contesting color-line delegations at the door.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-15

Taft gained more votes in the Chi cago recount than Hearst does in the New York tussle.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-15

The pure food law is rapidly wedding
 'ut harmful conservatives.