davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1908-03-06
His First Check.

During lunch some years ago the
great electrician became chatty aud
told in his quaint way the story Of
his first Acquaintance with any large
sum of money.
Ii was In the days when he was
struggling along with his earlier in
ventlons and didn't have big capitalists
10 back him. In fact. he didn't have
any bank account himself and hardly
knew what one was. Bank checks
were things he had never had occasion
TO use and knew little Of their value.
Edison had finally sold his patent on
the gold and stock tldiHator TO the
Western Union Telegraph company for
$4,000 and was coming over from his
home In Orange, y. j., 10 New York to
get his money. He had heard OF Wall
street and its bulls and bears and had
been told that II was full of sharks"
who would fleece man very quick.
So he made up his mind that Wall
street was very dangerous place and
that II he ever had occasion 10 20 there
he would be lucky II he got away with
out losing his overcOat and umbrella.
At that time General Lefferts was
president of the Western Union. One
morning Edison came into the COM
pany's general offices TO close up the
sale of his patent. After few pre-
liminaries he was given a check for
$4,000. He looked at il curiously for
a moment or two and appeared to he
puzzled what 10 do with 1t. He knew
that he had sold Il patent TO the West
ern Union company for $4,000, but he
didn't see any money.
Observing his perplexity. General
IetfcrtS told him that if he would 20
down 10 the Bank of America, in Wall
street, he could get the check caShed,
so started out" said Edison. after
carefully folding up the check. and went
toward Wall street. SO uncertain was
| in regard to that way of doing husi-
ness that | thought while on the way
that II any man should come up 10 me
and offer me two crisp thousand dollar
bills for that piece of paper ! should
give him up the check very quick"
On arriving ut the Bank of America
he hesitated about entering. fearing
still that something might be wrong.
At last however. he mustered up cour-
age and determined to try il. He
knew that General I4efferts had told
him he would get his money here. so
he hraced ahead and half tremblingly
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1908-03-06

weren't the fashion in Boston in the
best of weather, and on raw day
man with limp. wet duster on and wet
linen trousers sticking to his legs was
something to provoke smile. He
walked into the superintendent's room
and said:
Here | am
"The superintendent eyed him from
head to foot and said:
".Who are you%
"'Tom Edison.
"'Who's Tom EdisonY
"The young operator explained that
he had been ordered to report for duty.
and the superintendent told him to sit
down in the operating room. His ad-
vent had created much merriment, and
the operators guyed him loud enough
for him to hear them. He didn't care,
though. Several hours later a New
York sender snoted for his swiftness
called the Office, and there was no one
to take him.
"'Well, let that new fellow try him.
anyway said the superintendent.
Young Edison sat down and for four
hours and a half wrote out messages
in clear, round hand, stuck date
and number on them and threw them
on the floor for the Office hoy to pick
up. The time he took in numbering
und dating was the only time he
was not writing out transmitted words.
Faster and faster licked the instrn
ment, faster and faster went EdisOn's
fingers, till the rapidity with which the
messages came tumbling out on the
floor attracted the attention of the 9th"
er operators, who, when their work
was done. gathered around to witness
the spectacle. At the close of four
hours and a half and the New York
business there flashed from New York
the salutation:
"Hello!'
"Iello, yourself" licked back Ed
ison.
".Who are your ratified into the Of
flee.
"'Tom Edison was ticked back.
"'Shake, Tom Edison.' came over the
wires.
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1908-03-06
JUDGE A WILLING PRISONER.
Toledo Jurist Sent Self to Workhouss
to Accumulate Experience.

Dressed Ia tue regulation garb of a
workhonse prisoner. Police Judge
James Austin. Jr.. of Toledo. o.. re-
renny spent four hours saving lee on
The creek adjoining the wurkh"use
with other inmates uf the penal insti-
tuition In order 10 yet an idea OF how
the prisoners be sentenced Ia the work
house lived. says a Toledo special dis
patch TO the New York World.
After he completed his police court
docket the other morning Judge Austin
tried himself on n charge of disturb
ance. He pleaded guilty and was taken
20 the bull pen where prisoners are held
awaiting the issuing of commitment
papers. Court Clerk Price made out
the papers which allowed Judge Austin
10 lie taken TO the workhouse. 10 which
institution he had sentenced himself.
At IL n. IN. the entries We're made. the
commitment papers issued. and Judge
Austin was handcutfed together with
three other prisoners and conducted 10
the patrol wagon.
The wagon reached the island short
" before noon, and Judge Austin went
through the entrance ceremony withoth
er prisoners. his name being entered on
the hooks and he being assigned To Il cell
lie ate dinner with the prisoners aud
was then locked up In cell for an
hour. while the guards and prison off,
clals ate their meals.
After they We're through Judge Aus.
tin was made to shed his citizens
clothes and put on the regulation work
house uniform. He did this and was
then assigned to the ice saving gang ON
the creek. Four hours Judge Austin
worked at the saws. and when told
his time was served he said: Those
We're the longest four hours ever put
In. ! am at loss TO know just what
effect this day will have upon my fu-
ture consideration Of prisoners. but
wish to say one thing-that will not
soon forget this day. | am still In
doubt as to what TO say relative to
the merits OF Imprisonment In a work.
house. | think | shall let this soak In
awhile before express an opinion.
But | want to say that its no joke to
do time here"
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1908-03-06
Pumped Concrete House.

Among the latest Of the great wiz.
ards works is the pumped concrete
house. The claim made for this proc
ess of house building is that in half
day three story dwelling may be CON
structed by pumping concrete into
molds at a cost 50 low that any work
ingman may own his home. Thus Edl-
son reproduces houses-any number
from the same mold-just as he repro
duces the human voice and othef
sounds and the movements of men and
things.
Still another of the fater achieve
ments of the wizard is an electric stor-
vge battery which, 1t Is claimed, VIII
feyolutionize the motor industry, max
ipg 1t possible for the poor man TO own
nnd operate an automobile for business
or pleasure.
The most striking instance not only
of Edison's persistence, but also or MS
systematic methods, is seen in the ac-
counts of the invention of the incan-
descent lamp.
The tilament gave him the grcatest
trouble, and in his search for suitable
material he sent hundreds of letters
To United States consuls in all parts OF
the world, requesting samples OF bam'
boos. reeds and other vegetable fbers
and he followed this up by dispatch,
ing special explorers to search Wild
and unciyiliZed countries where, as
Frank MCGOWAN, one of the explorers
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1908-03-06
A TeIegraphic Feat.

An incident of Mr. Edison's early ca
reer, in which he displayed his re-
markable ability as, a telegraph Op-
orator, is described by a friend
Il don't think" said he to Il group
seated in the rear room of one of the
most comfortable hostelries of Orange
y. j., that you have ever heard the
story IF how the wizard first came east
lie was only young man, careless.
generous, jOvial and totally ignorant OF
the value of dollar. He had been
knocking around IN western towns in
various small telegraph offices until the
reputatio of his wonderful swiftness
rs an operator got him into the central
office of a western city. From there he
was ordered TO report to Boston to fill
vacancy. 1t was warm weather for
the season when he started east. and
he donned linen trousers and duSter.
BY the time he reached Boston the
weather had got cold, raw and stormy.
He didn't care and reported just as he
was. Linen trousers and duster top
ped by a slouchy, broad brimmed hat
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1908-03-06

follows him home an becomes his
friend Tor life.
An then whenever that officer goes
out Un beat the dog goes along. He's
handy for smellin' things I'm dark arey.
ways an spy IN people in back yards
where they don't belong. lie jus adds
to the eye an ear power of the officer.
an he's valuable 81 fairs he goes. But
he amt official. an lie don't cost the
city nothin'. lie works for love
There wasn't nOthln' new about
these kind OF assistant policemen. an
no one expected anything of 'em. That's
the trouble with these big imported
dogs. They've been trained so care
fully an the people an the press has
been talkin' so much about them that
every ones thinkin they're goln' to
settle the problem OF ferretin' out
crime In this city for all time TO come
If they rely on them too much they'll
he fooled, that's all. Any one knows
dogs knows that there is tricks that
can get around them.
"I'd be willin' to ber hundred gold.
backs against button that | could 90
over TO Parkville an take them four
dogs away from their masters in no
time. You just give me a start Of
block or two an they could call out
the reserves an set 'en all whist.iu',
an the pups'd stick 10 me. Any AMI,
mails that could be got to desert Ike
that amt 10 be considered very valua-
ble for police duty. 1t just amt like
dogs to be reliable under such emer-
gencies.
Its just like this. This life Is a bat.
tie of brains An it stands to reason
when you match a dogs brain against
mans brain the mans goin' 10 win
out every time. A brainy crook could
always outwit the dog. an brainy
cop could find an keep clew better
than he could an wouldn't be fiustrat.
cd by every cross current he come TO.
Now. s'pose one Of them dogs was
poundln' the road some night an he
spied man tryin' to get into win
dow. An spose that man was some
fellow who'd stayed out late an lost
his latchkey an that was his own
house an his wife had gone to bed an
| put the lights out. Now, what's that
| dog goln' to do? He can't rap on the
! fence with his night stick an say,
Hey. what you doln' thereT
AN then s'pose one Of them dog
J cops sees man snatch bag from a
| woman an run off down a lonely
street. He's learned to chase after the
! runner, but what's be goin' 10 do when
he catches him? Maybe he'll trip him,
/ but the thief can climb fences. an the
/ dog can't. The dog can't make an ar
/ rest an he can't take his prisoner
round to the station house an have
! him entered on the bIotter
mo, sir, tell you circumstances Is
| Ill against these dogs. They used to
ase dogs in the middle ages to catch
slaves an robbers. but times is differ
ent now. an onless you have a dog to
20 out with every officer-S,o00 Of 'em
you won't find them much good in a
fraternity of 100000 people.
"Rut I'm Il strong believer In kind,
ness to dumb animals. an Bingham
deserves the thanks Of the community
for providln' such fine berths for four
dumb brutes."
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1908-03-06

An eminent nevine orce preached a
sermon from TINS tey: "On building
and builders" He talked of the Worlds
Great Architects, artists, authors. paint
ers. srulptors. etc. He said that every
one, no matter how low his station III
life, who left the world better than he
found it, was IA builder, that he who
digged ditch we'll built for the world 5
hetterment. He might also have added
that he who discovers great remedy
like Rydale's Tonic, works for the world S
betterment. Rydale's Tonic is human
system builder. 1t purfies aud builds
the blood, restores weak nervous systems
and increases the strength aud weight.
All who have used Rydale's Touic.
pronounce it II great system tonic and
builder. J. ". Thurston, Agent.
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1908-03-06

which photographs are taken with such
rapidity, one after the other. that every
movement OF human beings, animals,
that stirs is recorded, to be reproduced
exactly and accurately over and over
again. just as the human voice is stored
and reproduced by the talking ma
chine.
In the telegraphing line Mr.. Edison's
inventions are numerous. They include
the printing telegraph, the quadrupleX
telegraph, the carbon telegraph trans
mitter and others. Edison also invent
ed the useful mimeograph and the
handy megaphOne.
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1908-03-06
A Firscracker Minus Powder.

A Fourth of July without burned
finger--that is the idea of Martin
Armstrong, telegraph operator of
Eubanks, Okla He has patented an
explosive toy called the air cracker 1t
consists Of a rubber cup. the top OF
which is held by spring just beneath
a metal ring A handle is attached.
Between the cup and tight fitting. fiat
ring a piece of paper is placed When
struck against any object the rubber
forces air violently against the paper.
The bursting Of the paper causes an
explosion minus the fire.
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1908-03-06
DEVERY ON DOC COPS
Will Not Succeed In New York,
Declares Ex-Police Chief.
CONDITIONS AGAINST EN-"
Discusses Faults and Faiines Of the
Four Dogs and Decides They Won't
po-Might Work All Right Up In
the Adirondacks, He Says.

Do-Misht Work All H'9ht UP IN
the Adirondacks, He Says.
William s. Devery. New Yorks for
mer police chief, whose knowledge OF
police ways is great. has poor opin-
ion of the experiments being made
with the New York police departments
dogs.
mo, ain't got no opinion about the
dogs" he said recently to reporter
Of the New York Post as he seated
himself on the front third of gilded
Louis Quatorze chair in his new home,
Except Just this. It's all rot. 1t
stands to reason they can't succeed.
Conditions here is all against 'em.
Here's congregation of 100000
souls, settled down at seaport, with
ships sailin' for every port In the
world every hour of the day an rail-
roads comm In an goin' out In every
direction all day long. Everything
helps crook to cover up his tracks.
Dogs might work all right up in the
Adirondacks or some other rural neigh
borhood, where they don't have nothin'
but highwaymen to deal with an there
amt nOthln' but woods an fields to get
away over. But here there's so many
heenous crimes of all sorts gOin' on
ev'ry minute that no dog could hold to
one scent more'n block or two. S'pose
dog goes after crook, for one thing.
In ten minutes he'll get his scent dis
tracted by another and then another.
It'll be all crisscross, an he'll get SO
mixed up he'll he followin' trail back
to the station house before he really
gets started Even If he did get real
hold on a scent. before be knew it It'd
lead him into the subway or the Singer
building or some other place with a
NO Dogs Allowed sign nailed up. an
all his trouble would be wasted. An
he'd stand a good chance Of beln'
crushed in a bridge jam or drowned of
a ferryboat or run down by a scorchin'
automobile every time he was on duty.
Il guess | know somethin about
dogs an | know somethin about the
force, too, an this amt the first time
policemen has used dogs in their bust.
ness. But they amt never been Off.
cial before. It's just like this: Some
officer sees some poor NUT Of dog OH
his beat tryin' to find crust In II ash
can. An he speaks to him kindly an
buys him some bones. an the poor NUT
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1908-03-06

A Virginia Lady says; 81 have taken
me of your Rydale's Stomach Tablets
and they did me more good than any
thing ever took for Dyspepsia. have
had it nearly all my life, and feel so
thankful that have at last found some
tning that helps me, for only those that
have this disease knows what it is."
Miss Nettie Spring, Taylorstown, Vir-
ginia.
Rvdale's Stomach Tablets are sold un-
der Il guarantee to do all that is claimed
for them. W. Thurston, Agent.
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1908-03-06
MOVING FULL GROWN TREES.
South Dakota Man Expects Them to
Keep on Growing.

With jackscrews and heavy timberS
such as are used In moving houses w.
III. Waters of Miller. s. D., is having
some cedar trees of mature size moved
to new locations. Last fall the trees
were dug round deep down, leaving the
roots In several tons Of earth.
Now that this mass is frozen the
trees are being raised out Of the ground
by the whole bulk and carefully set In
another place which was made ready
before the ground froze. 1t is believed
that the trees will start right Off In the
spring as though nothing had happened
to them.
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1908-03-06

with all my heart WAS the reply.
"'lou are the inst man la the cUun.
try said the instrument. that could
ever take me at my fastest aud the
only one who could ever sit at the
other end q my wire for more than
two hours and half. l'm proud 10
know Vou'"
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1908-03-06
Thomas Addison
interesting Career Of Great Genius-His Remarkable
Achievements In Electrical Scence-The
Man at Close Range
Man at Close Range.

said, "a United States consul was usu-
ally eaten before he'd had time to open
much mail" Between 1900 aud 1900
samples Were collected from this sys-
tematic search. and of all these only
two or three We're found to be of any
use. But they were sufficient and re-
suited in the incandescent lamp.
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1908-03-06
Lovers Rhvme to Postman,

4 letter carrier who delivered let
ter addressed In masculine hand to a
young woman In the upper section OF
New York the other day happened to
notice an inscription on the Zap Of the
envelope which read:
Postman. postman, do your duty
Take this to my black eyed beauty.
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1908-03-06
WILLING to Give It Up For $4,000

The latter scrutiniZed 1t closely, gave
Edison a piercing glance and said
something which Edison could not I'M
drrstand. as he was hard of hearing
That was enough He was now more
than ever convinced that his check
wasn't worth $4,000 and again thought
as he rushed out of the bank with It
that any man who would give him 81
600 could walk away with the check,
He hurried back to the Western Tn
Ion and said he couldn't get any mon
ey. General Lefferts then sent u man
with him to Identify him. He said
that this man is Thomas A. Edison,
to whose order the check is drawn"
rWhy. certainly, Mr.. Edison" said
the cashier very obsequiously. How
would you like your Sl0,000--in what
shape?"
"Oh. any way to suit the bank. 1t
doesn't make any difference to me so
long as get my money"
Edison was given $4,000 in large
bills. After dividing the roll into two
wads of $4,000 each he stuffed one
into each trousers pocket, buttoned up
his coat as tightly as possible and
made break to get out of Wall street
as quick as he could. The next day
Edison began work on his first labora-
tory at Newark, n. j.
Always very jealous of his time, Mr..
Edison has expected his employees to
be equally careful lest single minute
that might yield an important inven-
tion should slip by. In counseling a
young man he said, The best advice
can give you Is, never look at the
clock"
Discouragement and worry have been
unknown to the wizard. On one occa-
sion one of his associates had to re-
port to him the failure in immediate
succession of three experiments in
volving enormous expenditure of mon
ey and labor. But the inventor simply
smiled at the recital The associate,
worn ont with the nervous strain of
his long watch and disheartened by his
disappointment. said impatiently, "Why
don't you worry a little about it, Mr..
EdisonT
why should II" was the inventors
reply. You're worrying enough for
two"
Sample of His Memory.
Blessed with most wonderful mem.
ory, Mr.. Edison has been able to recall
with absolute eXactness intricate fig.
ures, even though he had not had oc.
casion to use them in twenty or thirty
years. An example of this happened
when he was being interviewed recent
ly. One of his assistants asked Mr.
| Edison concerning Il certain fluid to be
/ used in the work then under way. As
soon as he had explained the trouble
Mr.. Edison gave him the required in
| formation He said that some time in
| the eighties. when he was working Oh
the telephone problem, he had used q
fluid composed of so many parts OF
| this, so many parts of that and SC
many parts of something else. He
gave to the smallest fraction of q drOI
the exact amount Of each fluid to b,
used.
There is only one sport that has evel
interested Mr.. Edison, and that is fish
ing. In his splendid yacht at his Flori
da home he has been fishing once il
awhile. He never played golf or any
other game, but he has advised Others
to do so.
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1908-03-06
Established 1873
s-.n,te Court Sessions.

- ans THE PROBATE COURT tok
-E- ms. -, DF ESSEN will be held A.
g., ,.,,', IN the tJTenOon OF the second
A. e.i,Tu,tV. and the hrst Mondays oi
~ ...,1rr asl December. -. =, 49,
3d. Iii m the aiternuon oi eaeh OF tht
,ln ., .., ,he first Mondays OF Ap'h ana
u.... mil am the first saturday Of each
rgl.r- ;,,s will he held at any place IN
the lions '-. 'n addressed to i. W. wyman
g. ~ ,:uiidhall, will receive promp, at
Re -'.'. uFRBERT W. BLAKE, JUDGE
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-02-17
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS..

WANTED-SITUATION
WA NTED--Situation by all-around Of
flee man and ad writer; 10 years eX-
perienCe. Address Box CPL, Gene
SEQ, Ill.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-02-17
Masters Sale,
State of Illinois, Rock Island Coun-

State of Illinois, Rock Island coun-
Henry Fluegel complainant. VS.. Tony
Harper and Mollie Harper. defendants.
Foreclosure. General No. 1888. In the
Circuit Court-In Chancery.
Notice is hereby given that by virtue
OF a decree of said court, entered in
the above entitled cause, on the SOth
day of December, A. d. 1907, l shall
on Wednesday. the 26th day of Febru-
a alcyoo 4. l., D. 1908; at the hour of 10
door of the court house. in the city
Of Rock Island, in said county of Rock
Island to satisfy said decree, sell at
public Tendue. to the highest bidder
Of land situate in the county of Rock
Island and state of Illinois, known and
described follows, towit:
Beginning at a point on the south
side of Eighth avenue in the city of
Rock Island. which is thirty 600 feet
south and one hundred and thirty-two
t132) feet west of the northeast corner
of outlot siXty-Seven (61), according to
the assessors plat of 1864, in the south
west quarter 90 OF section thirty
five (S5), township eighteen GS) north
range two CD west of the fourth princi-
pal meridian; thence running west
along the south side of Eighth avenue,
south, parallel with the west side OF
Fourteenth street in said city on the
east side of said outlot, one hundred
and sixty G60) feet to an alley; thence
running east along the north side of
said alley thirty-three (33) feet; thence
running north parallel with the west
| line of Fourteenth street one hundred
and sixty G60) feet to the place of be-
ginning, being the same premises some
times known and called lot number
four (4 in the subdivision of said out
| lot siXty-seven (67), situated in the
city of Rock Island, in the county OF
| Rock Island and state of Illinois. Sub
ject to the lien of unpaid indebt-
edness of four hundred forty-nine
and fifty-nine hundredths (s449.59D
dollars, which sum is payable
| in monthly installments of ten 10)
dollars each. payable on the first day
IOf each calendar month, beginning on
January l, 1908, and continuing until
said sum of four hundred forty-nine
and fifty-nine hundredths (S449.59D
dollars shall have been fully
paid. together with interest on the
sums remaining unpaid at seven CD
per cent per annum, payable semi-an-
nually on March LIST and September 1st
of each year
Dated at Rock Island, Illinois, this
9th day of January, A. D. 1908.
| Bernard d. Connolly, Master in Chan
lcery, Rock Island County. Ill.
NJ. E. Sweeney, compliments solicit
tor.