davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-12-21
New Lifesaving Revenue Gutter.

Before she starts for the Pacific
coast the now lifesaving revenue cutter
Srohomish, recently launched at Will
niington, Del, and which is now al
Baltimore fitting out her long trip. Will
have a series of severe trials in heavy
weather off Cape Henry. Her lifesav,
ing gear, which consists Of an improved
brooches buoy and an automatic reel
was delivered last week, and Is now be
ing put on the vessel. 1t was tested
in the presence of a board appointed by
the revenue cutter service only for the
crew to be drilled in it's use, says tho
New York Tribune.
The wreck of the passenger steamc,
Valencia in the Pacific at the entrance
to the Straight Of Juan de Fuca or
January 26, 1906 and the loss of 13S
lives served as the Immediate incen-
tive to provide a new and improved
means for saving life in those waters
where there are few lifesaving stations
It was conceded at the time of the
wreck that if there had been a Vessc
properly equipped to save life all those
who drowned might have been rescued
for the Valencia did not break up fol
thirty-six hours.
In operation this new device for life
saving is similar to a galloway which
| has just been adopted by the govern
| ment for laying at Panama what I.
said to be the greatest concrete WOrl
| in the world and which is to be in full
| operation by April /. The TWO specia
| features in this lifesaving device are al
| automatic reel. which occupies a space
Of six ny eight feet on the deck Of th'
tug. The reel constantly gives ant
takes cn the cable. while maintaining
tension nearly as even as if the vessels
We're at rest: and by means of a down
haul the passengers in the breeche
buoy are safely landed on deck withou
regard to the heavy sea. A rust proc
cable of light steel 800 feet in length
is also provided
AS an illustration Of the exact opera
ton of the marine breeches buoy. let II
suppose that a passenger steamer i
pounding on one of the sandbars off tn
Long Island coast Driven by south
east gale. the seas that are breakin;
over the vessel are so high that tn
lifesavers on shore are unable t.
Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-12-21
The Two WesIeys.

Last week brought the 200th ami
vcrsary of the birth of Charles Wesley,
vet it was given no such observance by
MethOdists as was the similar annl-
ycrsary of the birth of his brother John
a few wears earlier. Some historians
contend that Charles Wesley deserves
as much credit for the beginning of the
Methodist movement as does his
brother John, but most authorities
give the lions share to the latter.
They were a wonderful pair of brothers
and have exerted an influence over the
worlds religions history which can
hardly be exaggerated In many
things they were wholly unlike. The
older brother possessed an iron con-
stitution upon which was based the
cheerfulness and energy which made
him the marvel of his age. In his sc
wears OF life il is said that he never
knew what sickness meant or suffered
period of mental depression. Charles,
on the other hand, was not a strong
man physically, was subject to fits OF
depression and was absent minded, i'm
practical and dreamy. He was the
poet, while John Wesley was the man
who did things.
Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-12-21
ORDNANCE MUSEUM.
Collection of Arms at Springfield
Shows Evolution Of the Modern Gun.

The United States armory in
Springfield shows completely the
evolution OF the repeating rifle and the
obsolete and modern arms used from
the earliest days up to the present TIM
by every country of the civilized GLOBE,
says The Boston Globe"
Although the collection has been in
existence for years, no move was made
until recently to preserve the relics
and add to the collection other vaua-
BILE pieces that have been scattered and
hidden in remote places in the biz,
government plant
Congress recently appropriated
money to make alterations in the ad-
ministration building at the armory,
which included an extension of and
| marked changes in the museum
Colonel Stanhope Z. Blunt, the new
commandant, has had everything put
in spick and span condition. and the
sabres and bayOnets, muskets, rifles
and machine guns of different
vntages may now be handled without
soiling white gloves.
AS one enters the museum hundreds
of rifle barrels and highly polisha !
bayonetS fairly CLEAN in long rows
down the room. The collection con-
tains notable pieces of armor from
China and Japan, long spikes and two
edged swords. long cecil in minia-
ture, such as was used in combat with
the Beers in the attempt to keep them
out of kimerly in the South African
campaign.
Two or three racks in the museum
are devoted to arms used by the
hostile Indians in some of the famous
campaigns in American history. These
include carbines and rifles, some of
which were taken in Clusters ill-fated
campaign. These arms were obtained
from the redmen after the close of
their wars. when they We're on their
good behavior
The Indians were obviously good
mechanics, as their weapons when out
of repair were bandaged with rstWhide.
In many cases they removed the
breechplates of their guns and filed
them full of brass headed tacks. This
was in perfect accord with their love
of ornamentation and their vanity.
Some of the guns were taken by the
cavalrymen in 1878. Among them was
Sharpe & Hawkins gun SO con-
structed that the entire rifle slides for
ward on grooves. This rack also con-
tains Smith & Wesson breech loader.
calibre so, rim fire, Mausers of all
patterns and different types of Lee
Maynard and Austrian rifles.
A notable arm among the Confeder-
ate rifles is inscribed in honor of a
young woman who was murdered. 1t
bears the date of May 10, 1851, carved
Of the butt, and the initials 1T. A. T."
and "CSA." Another gun. bears the
legend, Matte, be true" while beneath
this is carved the name Charles H.
Roberts. Ind, 1885, The inference is
that some one was left behind that the
Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-12-21
/ title HeIps for Awning Makers

Our greatest benefactor,' SAID
local manufacturer of awnings, is the
office man who sits and smokes ana
throws his cigar stubs out the window.
If it's at the time of the year Wheh
awnings are up on the big office puiid-
ings it is not improbable that the cigar
will fall on an awning ana burh
good sized hole.
Possibly it will fall against ron u
the canvas and burn through several
folds Look at some of the awnings
over the stores on the ground floor Oh
buildings and notice the little rouiiu
holes that have been caused by the
falling cigar stubs. These holes OF
course greatly hasten the time wheh
the awning must be replaced. Nearly
every office building in town mas
suffered this same damage. -Cle'e-
land Plain Dealer.
Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-12-21
The Long Distance Runners.

Long distance running is getting q
great boom in this country through the
various Marathon races which have
been heid in recent years and through
the activity of the Marathon winners
in professional circles after gaining
lau-cls as amateurs. Hundreds of
boys and young men throughout the
country, reading the graphic news
paper stories of the much-advertised
Marathon runs, both amateur and pro-
fessionai, have become interested in
the sport and scores of them are going
out upon the road and on the cinder
tracks to see what they can do. Out
of these amateur runners many good
distance men will be developed and
among them will be a group of new
champions. For long time England
has been in the lead in the matter OF
distance running, but at the recent
Olympian games it's laurels in this
branch of sport We're snatched away
by the American runners and this VIC
tory is going far to stimulate tre-
mentlous interest in this sport on this
side Of the water. liza
1t was bit disappointing to loya
Americans when Hayes, winner of the
Marathon race at the Olympic games
| was defeated in New York by Doran
do, the Italian, who collapsed just be
! fore the finish of the race at London
and who was dragged across the lint
in a semi-conscious condition by over
jealous English officials who wer,
anxious to see nobody win rather thai
the Americans. But now American
stock goes up again when Dorando il
decisively beaten by the wonderful In
dian runner, Tom Longboat, VIII,
was in a poor condition at the time o
the Marathon run and finished the las
half of the race in an automobile. Ii
his race with Longboat. as in th
Marathon race at London, Dorand
collapsed completely when near tn
finish and remained unconscious 70
some time. incidentally, his collaps
i proved the strength of the Yanke
claim at London that il Dorando ha
Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-12-21

launch their boats much less get along
side, and all their shots carrying a lnc
from mortar fall far short OF the
snip. The Snohomish. or a vessel sim
ilarly equipped. lying ready In the shell
ter OF the Horseshoe at Sandy Hook,
Is sent for.
Steaming dire city to WindWard OF thc
wreck, beth her big anchors are drop
ped and the cables veered away until
they have Il good grip ON the bottom.
Her stern is then less than loo feet
from the wreck, over which line Is
shot. The men ON board haul whip
line and block aboard and make 1T fast
at one of the maStheadS Then the
crew o! the tug work the whip line and
haul the wire rope and breeches buoy
to the wreck. Power is available to as
sist in this.
The cable passes to the automatic
reel through Il block at the tugs mast
head, thus keeping it we'll above the
seas. When the breechcs buoy Is haul
ed back and Il passenger is to be taken
out the downhauI is brought into ac
ton. It is estimated that from sixty
to 100 persons an hour may be rescued
In this way. Besides its usefulness in
lifesaving, this apparatus may be used
10 transfer mail and specie if necessary.
The Mauretania was delayed for many
hours at Queenstown on her last trip
on account of the heavy weather, in
which it Is said all her mail and pas
sengers could have been landed by
means of this improved marine cable
way.
The Snohomish is an Ocean-going
tug of 795 tons displacement. She has
full equipment Of lifeboats. life RATS,
searchlghts and other well known ap-
pliances, as well as the improved bree-
cheS buoy
Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-12-21

been let alone and not helped to his
feet after falling the first time on the
stadium track, Hayes would have
caught and passed him right there. No
or two could have revived the gritty
little Italian enough to finish in his
race against Lorgboat, but that is not
the way of doing things in America.
Now Longboat has series of long
distance races arranged with Alfred
Shrub, the English long distance pro-
fessional champion, and the outcome
will be watched with great interest.
Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-12-21

owner thought good deal Of when ne
went to the front. The same gun also
contains a scroll ana wreath Of oak
leaves carved with iackknife
Not the least interesting arm Of the
collection il Il matchbox of the
fifteenth century On this gun the
pulling Of the trigger draws the match
piece backward over the vent and
fastens it there securely. Another
curiosity is an old fashioned bunder-
buss mounted in brass.
This must have been too heavy for
man to carry, and it is assumed that
it was cartcd around by horse. Near
the blundcrbusS is a battery gun. with
twenty-five highly polished barrels,
which was used in the closing days of
the rebellion. 1t has a lever control
which spreads the barrels to cover a
wide range. 1t is about .50-caibre,
and is loaded with detached ammuni-
ton.
The weapon is so made that the
cartridge must be inserted at the
breech. while the only protection the
gunner had was projecting shoulder
OF the piece In the case of the Roberts
repeating gun. another queer type, the
the breech, and slide down on a re-
volving cylinder The cylinder re-
wolves similarly to that of a revolver,
and the cartridges are held in place
by the surrounding chambers and are
elected at the bottom. This weapon
was used in the siege of Petersburg.
The department devoted to Chinese
firearms is by far the most interesting
,;al, fttn ii n
three men guns, some of them nine
feet long, are the wonder OF the
modern gunsmith. They have all the
outward mechanism Of the American
gun. with easy breech action, firing pin
and blot. and a bore four inches in
| diameter or more.
Some of them are matchlocks, ana
some Of them are Winchesters ana
Mausers. One of the gingals has the
screw device applied to the breech ana
in others it is evident that the Chlnese
attempted to adopt modern methods IN
the curious tWo-man gun.
Conspicuous the outfit is breech
| loading flintlock Of 1892 with load
| ing chamber that turns up for the
cartridge and slides back into position
| This gun must have been hard to sight
as the hammer and pin appear to De
poised over the top of the barrel
Paper cartridges We're used and It's
calibre is .535. Near this flintlock are
| many Rurnsjdes Martini HenryS,
Spencers and all kinds of Springfields
There is q vast collection OF KraSs
and Springfelds Of old types. y modei
Of a sporting rifle made for President
| Roosevelt is here. and there IS
Springfield sporting rifle highiE
poIished and engraved that would
make any marksman envious.
| The bayonet exhibit is partlcular's
rare. 1t contains all types. from the
antiuuated three edged affair used on
| the nint,uck mus<et. to the long ana
| dangerous looking knife blade used on
the latest Springfield rife.
| Some are made to simulate Il tro"e''
| the only difference being that they dre
sharpencd on the edges. Still others
that are priced by collectors are OF the
| spatuate shape and are very rare
Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-12-21
Light Dawning in Turkey.

Turkeys action in establishing a
Parliament leaves no so-called civilized
country in the world without such a
legislative body. The experiment of
the Sultan'.s empire as constitutional
monarchy will be watched with the
closest interest on all sides. 1t was
an interesting incident that the Rus
sian Duma the latest predecessor of
the Turkish Parliament, was the first
to extend formal welcome and con-
gratuationS, and others promptly
followed from practically all the capi-
tails of the world.
There is reason for rejoicing in the
fact that this political revolution mas
been wrought in Turkey without
blocdshed or violence. Turkey has
yielded to the impulse of universal
progress in very graceful fashion and
everybody hopes that hcnceforth that
land will enter upon an era of substan-
tial development, that it may enjoy
civilization in fact as well as in name
and that the work so auspiclously be-
gun of late inConstantinople may be
permanent in character. All this may be
too much to hope for in view OF Tur-
KEYS past experiences and the well
known character of the present Sultan,
but ut least a good beginning has been
made and it is only fair to give Turkey
credit for honest intentions.
Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-12-21

The good old tines of which we
hear so much are now being outdone
A Massachusetts educator has just
published a phamphlet comprising the
1&46 examinations of the school chill
dren of Springfield in that state and
those of 1908. 1t appears that the chill
dren of today write, read and figure
better than those did of 60 years ago
There is also gain of 10 per cent in
spelling. 35 per cent. in arithmetic and
13 per cent in geography. Does this
prove that the children Of today are
brighter than those of the old times OF
that they are better taught? Probably
both; anyway. let us hope so.
Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-12-21
Mansion House as a Home.

During her residence therein 'no
Mansion House becomes in every sens
the home of the lady mayoress' lo
lures and familiar articles OF turilitui0
are brought from the permanent HUM
to make the temporary hearth as coNs
and bright as possible.
One wonders whether the hlstoi =,
associations Of the Mansion House WIN
counterbalance its gloom ana charni-
lessness. whether these can De u's
PEELED by such high thoughts as tha'
from the steps of ones house the pii.l'
of heirs and death of soverelshs ale
proclaimed. public calamlties on
nounced. victories and defeats os 80. sc
and land heralded; that mere are ie.'
the throbs Of the heart of the ehip'.e'
At any rate it must be unique 60
perience to live in house-lf o1lis ~.
a year-for which one would nave -
pay rental--were it to property Vi
private owner-according to presen'
day value of 100000, or four times '"o
entire official salary of the lord maso'
London Chronicle.
Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-12-21

They tell us about soldier of the
regular army who has now retired with
a comfortable little fortune of $4,000
saved out of his wages during his peri
od of service. No doubt the American
soldier is very poorly paid, but this in
stance seems to indicate that he can
save a lot of money if he is so disposed.
This bright example, by the way, never
rose higher than the grade as sergeant.
Such a case ought to bring boom TO
the recruiting service. Army officers
point cut that much more is possible,
however, if soldier enters the army
young-,as in the case of master cleo
trician. chief musician, or sergeant
in the band. The very best saving pos
sible FOR an. enlisted man, under the
army savings deposit system, is said tc
be $23,sSS. Probably no man, however
unless of the type of the late Russell
Sage, could ever save anywhere nea:
this amount. afiISe
Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-12-21

When the late Mary Goodwin Pinck-
ncy of New York died a week or two
ago and was very briefly spoken of in
the newspapers as the possessor of a
fortune of about $50. 100000 most people
had never before heard her name and
there was much wondering as to her
identity and the source of her fortune.
1t seems that the great fortune she
possessed came from an investment OF
$4,000 in New York real estate nearly
half century ago. The little Harlem
farm was so located that the great city
has since covered it, resulting in the
fabulous fortune referred to. There
could hardly be more impressive ex-
ample Of the unearned increment upon
the value of advantageously situated
land. L
Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-12-21

The color line has now crept north
ward into Kansas, the state which was
the scene of much bloodshed in behalf
of the cause of freedom. A new law
in that state provides that cities may
have separate schools for white and
negro children, and even though it is
provided that the schools for negro
children shall have equal facilities as
the others there is sharp edge and a
keen sting IN the arrangement all the
same
Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-12-21

Uncle Sam has issued a new special
delivery stamp in the hope that TINS
will become more popular and that
fewer people will avail themselves OF
the permission he has granted for the
use Of the ordinary stamps with the
words especial delivery" written upon
the letters. The permission of the use
OF ordinary stamps is not revoked but
the postofIice department sends forth
plea that they be used only when the
regular special delivery stamps are not
available. otherwise there is Otter
confusion and perhaps delay.
Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-12-21

No two correspondents can seem to
send out the same story about Castro
in Europe and he appears to be fully
as much of mystery in Paris and
Berlin as he was in Caracas. The re-
ports sent out about his health, his
finances, and his plans as to the future
vary greatly from day to day. Mean
time things are happening down in
Venezuela and it is not impossible that
the real reasons for this remarkable
rulers sudden journey to Europe may
become better known in the near fu-
ture.
Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-12-21
Maine Tax Revision.

Have you reau the report OF tle
special Maine Tax Commission which
was published in full in our columns
port, to be sure, filing seven columns
of our space, but every line of it is of
great and direct interest to the people
of Maine. 1t touches upon many mat
tiers which will be carefully considered
by the Legislature at its coming ses-
sion and it's conclusions and recon-
mendations are based upon long and
careful study of existing conditions.
The work of tax reform in Maine has
been making substantial progress in re-
cent years and many changes have been
brought about which tend to equal
problem and one that cannot be solved
at single session of any legislature
or any special commission, but nobody
questions the honesty of the intentions
of those who have been working upon
this problem and nobody can honestly
doubt that the progress which has been
made is to be followed by further
progress in the immediate future.
The commission, which consists of
five members, does not present a unan-
imous report. Three members sign
the majority report, while the other
Il;
give reasons for the opinion which they
hold. Briefly summarized, here are
the recommendations of the commits
sion:
That all assessments be at market
value.
Give State Assessors greater powers.
Apportion State tax according to
land values.
Tax public service corporations on ad
| valorem basis.
Tax savings deposits in National
banks.
cording to value of reserves
Tax automobiles according to size OF
cars.
That tax on bank stock be made
uniform and that q direct and collat-
| eral inheritance tax be levied.
| Uniformity in taxation of steam
| boats.
That mortgage recording tax be
levied.
Tadt poll taxes be made uniform ir
al! towns and cities.
| That pleasure boats be taxed.
| That foreign corporations pay license
| fee
That public utilities commission be
created.
That State county and municipal
bonds be exempt.
| That mortgages and securities of such
Maine corporations as pay tax based
on their full value be exempted
We hope every reader of the Journal
especially every taxpayer, will study
|
recommendations of the commission are
doubtless desirable and the proposed
changes will meet with little if any op.
| position. Some of the other recon-
mendaticns are undoubtedly open tC
serious objections and will be mucf
| discussed both in the Legisla ture anC
in the newspapers as they come up fol
| legislative action during the coming
| session. 1t is not at all likely that al
the recommendations of the comrlis
sion will be enacted into law, but nt
doubt the long and arduous labors o
the commission will result in marked
| changes in our taxation system
changes which will be in the line of ad
| vancement and a square deal. The
commission has earned the thanks o
all the people of the State for the sriri
in which it's work has been carried on
Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-12-21
The VANISHING Indian.

We are accustomed too shed a few
eminently proper crocodile tears over
the fate Of hte Indian: but the Indian
has never pitied himself. No record
holds his plea for mercy to his race.
The Negro continually expects quarter.
The Indian has not asked quarter He
has taken his medicine like man. No
Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-12-21
MAINE EDITORIAL COMMENT.
True to "Diriso."
york TranScript.)

The Republican senators have clec-
ted Senator Hale of Maine as chairman
to succeed the late Senator Allison
This puts Hale in the leadership Of the
majority. There is nothing too gooG
for Maine men and nothing too great
for them to undertake.
Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-12-21

They are going to have poultry
show in Portland next week and as the
far famed election rooster Of the Argus
has been enjoying long vacation he
ought to be in prime condition to
capture few of the blue ribbons.
Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-12-21

This is the greatest week of the year
for the children. and what blessing it
would be to the world If Santa Clause
We're as real to grown-up people as he
is to the little folks.