davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1908-04-25
The Misplaced Comma.

"Some lawsuits of the highest i'm
portance have hinged upon the right
placing of n comma" said Il judge.
when first started to practice law
a Missouri editor came to me in a peck
OF trouble to defend him against Il
threatened libel suit growing out of
faulty punctuation. He had not meant
to give some innocent young women
the slightest offcnSe when he wrote Il
story about two young men who went
with their girls to attend Il lecture and
after they left, the girls got drunk
Putting that miserable little comma
out of its right place did the work, as
it made the girls the ones who became
inebriatcd instead of their escorts. |
managed by proper diplomacy and the
publication OF neat apology to Stave
off the damage suits, and afterward
my editorial friend became an expert
on punctuation. Baltimore American.
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1908-04-25
SOME INTERESTING DECISIONS
Cities Liable For Damages When Per
sons Are Hurt or Killed by M. o.
Electric Current.

1t has brrn claimed that municipal
electric light plants are not liabl" to
one item of expense. which in the case
Of private plants is sometimes very
large 0nc-viZ. damages for injury or
death due to contact with live wire
If this were Il fact, it would only go
to show the unfairncSS resulting from
municipal ownership in making an in
noccnt individual bear all the burden
Of an accident which may result from
municipal parSimony or CarclcSSncSS.
While the decision of inferior courts
has sometimes been in line with this
claim, recent decisions of higher courts
are opposed to this view
In the case Of DavouSt versus the
city of Alameda the supreme court of
California held the city liable for dam
ages. but tn" case was complicated by
the fact that the municipal lighting
plant was engaged in commercial
business as we'll as in lighting the
streets. The supreme court of Indiana
has just handed down Il decision where
this complication is not involved. In
the case of Aiken versus the city Of
Columbus it holds that municipal own
ership and the management of munich
pal utilities do not make such bust
ness a government function to the cX-
tent of relieving the city from liability
for negligence, and it must pay dam
ages to a person injured by the fall of
n defective live wire. Although they
are not at hand for reference, we re
call similar decisions by the courts Of
other states
1t is worth noting that in general
where damages have been assessed
against municipal plants or where cX-
traordnary legal expenses have been
incurred on account of them the
amounts have not been charged up
against the operation of the plants, but
have been paid out of the general tax
levy, thus enabling the plants to show
lower "COSt' of operation than would
be the case if the items had been prop
erly charged.
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1908-04-25
GOOD ROADS APOSTLE.
Charles Thatcher Advocates Highway
From Ocean to Ocean.


From Ocean to Ocean.
Preaching the gospel of good roads,
Charles Thatcher Il resident of Wheel
ing. w Va. is now travelling from
city to city cndcnvoring to interest the
citizens of the nation in permanent
highways and primarily one or more
great arteries for vehicle travel from
ocean to occnn, says Bloomington
UllJ correspondent of the Chicago In
ter Ocean While he was in Blooming
ton his curbStouc talks to the audi
enccs. attracted by the unique outfit
accompanying him, We're marked by
rarnrS;ncSs and enthusiasm. He is
not working any grating or advertis-
ing dodge No one is asked for mon
this reason he Is attracting attention
and is winning supporters in his move
ment.
After Il residence of some years in
the far west he became imhucd with
the idea that the absence of good
west was Il serious handicap to the
latter AMI that the possession of good
roads would attract tourists in their
automobiles and assist in developing
the country. He decided to travel from
city to city and not only try to arouse
interest in the movement, but to Sc
cure signatures to petitions asking the
I'll tnly
action. He will reach Washington late
this year and will lay his petitions be
fore President Roosevelt and ask him
to use his influence to introduce res
olution in congress to investigate the
pro .cct. l thatcher travels in a light
buggy and i; attrcd in regulation COW
boy costume. His outfit is pulled by
two western burroS, and when he
reaches city he is always sure of an
audiences He aims to attend all meet
ngs in the interest Of good roads.
His third road will tap New Orleans
and thence Via the southern tier of
states to California. North and south
roads extending from the great cities
to the main highways are also plan
ned. He has planned Il road connect
ing Chicago aud St Louis which will
pass through Bloomington and Spring
field. He believes that congress should
cooperate with the various states in
the construction of these roads, there
by keeping the expense divided equal
ly tween the states crossed. Thatch-
er has Travelled 1000 miles in his
unique tour of education and believes
that he has inauguratcd n movement
which will not die
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1908-04-25
"CARE, SENSE, CONSCIENCE -
These Three Are Neglected In Public
Ownership Enterprises.


The Brooklyn Standard Union in
recent editorial dealt at length with
municipal socialism. After enumcrat-
ing several of the ways in which the
city suffers from the NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
of the utilities already committed tC
It's care the writer sums up as follows:
"What'S the good of extending the
list of failures and utilities? All that
it would do would be to illustrate
point already sufficiently patent and
painful-that nation, state or city does
sense and conscience than the indi-
vidual manfcStS when he Is working
for himself. Care. sense, conscience
that is the trinity of gods whose affairs
grow dusty when the municipality
keeps the temple. In every failure md
difficulty that the city has experienced
you see rcd tape, n conflict of author
ity, an absence of foresight, the pref
crence of party or patronage To the
public welfare, a low civic conscience,
perhaps n lower civic intelligence, the
unhappy consequences of collective re
sponSibility. or, rather. of irrcsI o 81
bility. as compared with inGivid
ual responsibility. The other fellow
pays--In welfare. health or taxes The
public servant Is not exposed to the
full operation of cause and effect"
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1908-04-25
Burned 1t Into Memory.

One of the most charactcrlstically
eccentric things ever done by Gelctt
Burgess (and one of the few true Sto
ricS of nim was to spend three or four
days in constructing of cardboard,
mica and green velvet a little model
of an old New England house, com
plete as to windows, curtains, lawn,
garden, trees and even including a
hammock with a tiny hat and summer
novel and washing stretched out on a
clothcSline on the back Stoop. This
was for dinner given to several lit
erary friends in New York, and when
the coffee was served he deliberately
set fire to the whole farm. His cX-
PLANTATION was that had it been spared
his guests might have forgotten the
affair, but they would always remem-
ber the destruction of the house. No
one who ever saw the little house so
up in smoke on its little hill of damp
moss will ever forget it.
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1908-04-25
PIE AND ETIQUETTE.
Story of Sentry Who Had Not Quite
Learned His Business.

oAOIJ OI d otUNIJ mo EliNl INOl SilNS
Learned His Business.
Captain RoaId AmuudScn. Norways
famous explorer, tells this story about
a national guurd encampmrnt last
summer:
"a new volunteer, who had not quite
learned his business, was on sentry
duty one night when friend brought
u pie from the CautCCn.
"\s he sat ON the grass eating the
pie the major Sauntcrrd up in uudrrSs
uniform. The sentry, not recognizing
him, did not salute, and the major
stopped and said:
What's that you have thrrc?'
"'Pic,' said the sentry good nHturcd-
ly apple pie. Have a bite
"Thc major frownCd.
"'Do you know who ann he asked.
"'No,' said the sentry. unless you're
the majors groom.
"Thc major shook his head.
"'Gucss again he growlrd
"'Thc barber from the village
"'No'
"'Maybc'-hcrc the sentry laughed
maybe you're the major HIMSELF
"'ThHt'S right; am the major, was
the stern reply.
"Thc sentry scrambled to his feet
"'Good graciouS. he exclaimed.
Hold the pie, will YOU, while present
armSr IIarpcr's Weekly.
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1908-04-25

- n
~ chant prince. He was the mer-
~ chant king For forty years
he rcigncd with undiSputcd
title He was the greatest and most
famous merchant of his time in the en-
tire world. He built up the first really
great retail store and wholesale cStab-
liShmcnt in America. His retail house
was the largest in the world at the
time. His name was powerful abroad,
and throughout the United States it
was Il household word, spoken with
awe and wonder. Old men of today re
call the name of \. T. Stewart rs an
inspiration to business ambition in
their youth. Men in early middle life
remember that the same name was
more familiar to them than that of any
other business man when they were
small boys.
Mr.. Stewart died thirty one years
ago. leaving no children. His widow
died ten years later. The magnificent
marble mansion in which he lived on
Fifth avenue, New York has been
RACED and replaced by n commercial
ccSsors in the great store on Broad
way assigned. and the Stewart store
building is now Wanamakcr cstab-
liShmcnt Even the body of Stewart
was stolen from its vault in New York,
and there is still dispute as to Wheth-
cr it ever was recovered. The Stew
art name and business and fortune all
IL a l,,,t !,
A. r. Stewart was a Scotch Irish
man. born In Ireland and educated at
Dublin university. He was Il classical
scholar, devoted to books in his early
life and with no idea of entering trade.
When he came to America, at the age
of twenty. in 1893, he became Il teacher
in New York. Two years later he re
turned to Ireland to claim a legacy Of
about $1,000, and upon the advice of
Il friend in New York he bought in
Dublin Il stock of laccS and other
goods, which he brought back to Amer
lea with him. He opened a small shop,
advertised his wares and sold the
goods at an enormous profit. This sue
cess revolutionizcd Stewart. He de
voted his life to trade.
At the outset Stewart made up his
mind aS to his course in business. He
determined to be perfectly honest, new
or to miSrcprcSent his goods, always
to watch every nook and corner of his
business and to add more customers
by pleasing those he got. 1t was his
boast in old age that in all his career
he never permitted a willful miSrepre-
Scntation to be made in his store.
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1908-04-25
Modern Oiled Roads.

1t somewhat appears that our whole
country is soon to be made available
through roads constructed by what
some one has dubbed the pctrolythic
process, says the Los Angeles Times.
In riding oTcr a country road Il few
days ago II chauffeur was heard to re-
of roads, but that sausage machine
roller beats down the best surface |
ever travelled over" Judging by the
mileage now under construction by this
process, it would appear that the gen
eral public heartily lndOrses the opin-
ion of the driver quoted.
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1908-04-25
Cost of Good Roads.

The commissioners of Chester cOun-
ty, Pa. recently received bills from
the Pennsylvania state highway de-
partmcnt for improvements made on
certain public roads In various town
ships of the county, as follows: West
town. Sl5,0OS3l; Schuylkill, $2S,S63;
Valley. S1l l,99633; Avondale borough,
$T.599.W. These amounts cover the
contract price, the extras. the inspeC
ton, the engineering and surveying,
etc. The state pays two-thirds of the
expense, the county pays one-slxth,
and the township pays One-sixth.
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1908-04-25
A Dressmaker of Yarmouth.

In the churchyard of Caister, close
to Yarmouth, is the grave of the
quiet, little, gentle voiced dress
maker" of whom at her death In Oc-
tober 1913. the then bishop of Nor
wich said, Il would canonize Sarah
Martin if | could" Yarmouth revcres
her to this day. a stained glass win
dow has been placed to her memory
in the parish church, where her prayer
book is still preserved, while her jour
nal is one of the treasures of the pub
lie library in the dollhouse. Under
meath this building was the miserable
dungeon which servI as the borough
prison, and it was to the amclioration
of the lot of the wrctchcd prisoners
that Sarah Martin devoted her life.
Earning bare subsistence of fifteen
pence Il day by tOiling from early
morning till far on into the night, she
yet managed to give up one day In the
week to her labor of love. She died in
poverty, but the result of her life'S
work was the reform of the prison
system of YarmOuth.-LOndon Chron-
fclc.
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1908-04-25
Automobile Roads In Africa.

Under the direction of the central
automobile department the work OF
constructing special highways in the
Kongo Free State has been carried on
for more than a year, says the Good
Roads Magazine. When completed
these roads will be used for automo-
bile freight lines The longest and
most important of the highways on
which work is being pushed most rap
idly is that connecting the Kongo with
the Nile ut Rejaf, short distance
south of GOntlkOrO.
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1908-04-25
Oil Test For Kansas Roads.

II Is reported that the board OF coun-
ty commissioners Of Wyandotte coun-
ty, Kan. will oil thirteen miles OF
macadam roads in the county as an
experiment The cost of the oiling Is
estimated ut $40 mile. The roads
nre first swept, then sprlnkled with
oil, and after the oil has soaked In
screenings are again scattered over
the roadbcIs, 1t is proposed to give
the roads about three applications Of
oil during the year.
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1908-04-25

He sent to her his photograph.
Twas in frame of gold,
With butterflies and ivy leaves
And starry lilies scrollcd.
He went without cigars n week
And lunChcd on apple pie
And to and from his office walked.
The costly thing to buy.
She thanked him I'm n charming note
That filed his soul with bliss
And then she took his picture out
Oh. sly, dcCcitful miss!
She put her own, in regal pose,
With opera cloak and fan,
In that expensive frame and sent
II to another man.
-Minna Irving in New York Press,
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1908-04-25
7 he Play.

Manager Now. as to the moral quail
ity of the piece we wish that to be
very conspicuous
playwright-B Its abs cucc?
Managcr-Oh. when it comes to mere
details of method we leave everything
to yOu of course. We don't care how
YOU manage it.-Puck.
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1908-04-25

Old Noah hunted up barrel stuve
and started off for the stern of the ark
"Where are you going?" asked Mrs
Noah.
Il am going to whale that boy Ham, u
replied Noah, with a frown
But, my dear, the lad is only play
ing on his banjo"
Yes, but 1t is the tune he is play
ing"
"And what IS the tune?"
"'Wait Till the Sun Shines. Lizzie"
Chicago News.
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1908-04-25
The Objection.

"Ncarly everybody makes mistakes
at some time or anolhcr," said the phil
os"phic person.
Yes" answered Miss Cayenne; you
can forgive anybody for making mis-
takes if he isn't SO cgotiStc as TO in
sist ON your aGmirinS them. Wash
ing Star.
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1908-04-25
Not actful.

81 met Mrs. IIardup the other day,
and she looked queer and "vaded me
wien | asked her what her husband
was doing now"
"No wonder"
"Why, what is he DOING
"rimc."-Iialtimorc American.
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1908-04-25
Reformed.

"Do you think horse racing crime|'
Sure"
But you owned a string of horses
last season."
"That's just it, | was referring to
the way in which my horses raccd."-
New York Telegram.
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1908-04-25
Very Steady,

Farmer Haye That Jones boy that
used to work for You wants me to give
him a job Is he steady? Farmer
Secde-Wcll, if he was any steadier
he'd be motiOnless.-LOndOn Express
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1908-04-25
More Up to Date.

De Stylc-Thcy say that in Mexico
now the bull fighters enter the arena
in automobiles.
Gunbusta-Thcn suppose the torea-
doris will now call themselves mOtorca-
rs.-IIarpers Weekly.
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1908-04-25
Gave Him Up.

Bing-Yes, that's old Spriggins. Half
a dozen doctors have given him up at
various times ling his life. Wing
What was tn ter with him2 Bing
He wouldn't pay his bills.
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1908-04-25

Clara-Jack intends to have all his
Mamma-Thcn why do you want to
marry him? Clara-To relieve his
mind of a false impression.
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1908-04-25
Popular.

Clara-What kind of face powder do
you use?
Maud-Why do you ask
"Charlie Spooncr says it's the best
he ever tasted. New York Life.
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1908-04-25

Burdens become light when cheer
fully bOrne.-Ovid
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1908-04-25

Was 1t a Dream?
Observation-Disclosures

serving Il ten years term, was proWl-
ing Mt midnight on the outskirts of n
town looking for an opportunity to re-
plcniSh his cxCheQucr. He surveyed
several houses from their back yards
to make selection for burglary when
h cspied Il figure walking in rear OF
house that fronted on another street
KcHnan laid low and watched. Was
til" person bent on the same purpose
as himself? He soon discovered that
the figure was Il man and was walking
to AMI fro. keeping an eye on an upper
rear window of the house he was be
hind. KcCnan found loose fence
picket and with it stcalthlly approached
tlr ti"""c. There was n thud. muir
Tered man. ritled pockets and body
thrown in an open bunker of the
hose the figure had been Watching
Then Eccn&n went off with n gold
watch and chain and a hundred dol
la: in money.
Not loNg after the murder Keenan,
who was II Il distant city, saw 1t stated
in Il newspaper that Hugh Gregory.
III" o-.n"r of the housc in the bunk
or of which the body had been found
he'd bn~N arrested fo" mur 'cr. The
a".i"lc also stated that Gre <ory was
past fifty. the murdered man under
twenty y-fvr. The Young m"n vas Ev-
c.'"r S;urGi& and Il visitor mt G"c;ory's
house. The chain of cN''""c" connect
in. Gregory with the r. + was not
Given. Thorc sly fellows thc police
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1908-04-25
INO MINUTE SKETCHES
Alexander I. Stewart.
BY ROBER LOVE.
For to,tyyea,5 the
merchant king.

ri Il. STEWART was not mcr
~ chant prince. He was the mcr-
~ chant king. For forty years
he rcigncd with undiSputcd
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1908-10-30
BONAPARTE GIVES DATA.
Replies to Daniels's Second Letter on
Trust Prosecutions.

Attorney General Bonaparte has re-
piled to a second letter from Josephus
Daniels, chairman of the press bureau
Of the Democratic national committee,
at Chicago, in which he complained
that in the attorney generals answer
to his first inquiry as to trust prosecu-
lions he had not differentiated between
the prosecutions under the Sherman
antitrust law and those under other
laws. Answering the inquiry specific
ally, the attorney general states that
under the Sherman antitrust law pass
ed in 1890 there have been siXty-five
proceedings in all, fifty-six under Repub-
lican and nine under Democratic adj
ministrations, forty-six since Mr.. Roose-
welt became President, in September,
1901, and nineteen during the preceding
eleven years.
Among the prosecutions Of the Demo
cratic administration the attorney gen.
eral says is included resistance to the
petition of Eugene v. Debs for writ
of habeas corpus. 1t is also asserted
that five out of nine proceedings under
Democratic rule were directed against
labor organizations and their leaders,
and that under Republican rule there
have been in all three such proceedings
out Of ffty-siX.
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1908-10-30
BRYAN IN LEAGUE
WITH LIQUOR DEALERS
Gov. Hoch Has Some Interesting
Correspondence on the Subject.

Gov. Hoch Has Some Interesting
Correspondence on the Subject.
Just as the temperance people Of
Kansas were beginning to believe that
VIM. ]. Bryan, the Democratic candi-
date for President, would make pretty
good standard bearer, Governor Hoch
comes along with some correspondence
that is calculated to put Bryan out Of
the running as temperance candidate.
Governor Hoch got into an argument
with Democratic politician at Marion
and made some statements he could not
back up with proof on a moments no
tice. However, he sent to Nebraska
for it and got everything he wanted.
The Omaha editor to whom Governor
Hoch wrote not only confirmed every
statement made by the governor but
he sent copies of letters written by Mr..
Bryan himself in regard to the pro-
hibitory amendment when it was up for
adoption by the people of Nebraska
in 1890.
In this letter Mr.. Bryan says in other
words that he is opposed to prohibition
but that he wanted the Nebraska DEM
ocrats to make no declaration on the
subject. This occurred in the campaign
in which Bryan was elected to Con-
gress. The Democratic platform de-
clared against prohibition and Bryan
stumped the State on the anti-prohibi-
ton platform. All this is shown in the
correspondence in the hands Of Gov
ernor Hoch and it is brought out by the
criticism made by Democrats of Taft
because in a speech in Topeka three or
four years ago he made the statement
that "it is hard to legislate morals into
people"
The Bryan letter written to a Demo-
cratic friend prior to the Democratic
convention in Omaha in 1890 reads as
follows:
Your favor just received. l expect
to attend the convention at Omaha and
am glad you are going. l will try and
leave here at once, so that we can
get together and talk over the platform
before the convention. 1 have no doubt
we will agree on tariff opinions, but
l have been in much trouble over the
temperance plank. I, like you and the
great bulk of the party, am opposed to
prohibition, but thought as the Repub-
licans took no stand on prohibition we
had better content ourselves with dec
laration against sumptuary legislation,
such as we usually have.
1--WE have a number of men who will
vote for the prohibitory amendment.
They do not ask us to declare in favor
of prohibition, but simply to do as the
Republicans have done-leave it to each
individual to vote as he likes. By de-
claring against prohibition we will lose
a good many votes, while we will not
gain Republican votes. We tried that
last fall in this county; declared in so
many words against prohibition, and
the saloons went solid against us.
Il wish 1 could see you before the
convention. Can't you come up here
Tuesday morning and go from here to
Omaha, and we can discuss all planks?
Will draw UP the plank you suggest.
Yours truly,
"W. J. BRYAN" !