davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-03-26
Brunswick To Birmingham

In the joy over the near-at-hand ad- vent of the Illinois Central and the Mobile and Ohio railroads to this dis trict we perhaps overlook the Atlanta, Birmingham and Atlantic, which is throwing dirt rapidly in order to reach this city some day next summer.
 The new road is 649 miles long, and it constitutes a new system in every respect. So far as is known it is to be an independent line from the sea to Birmingham, with branch to Atlanta The road has been opened to Talla- dega, and work on the remaining 75 miles is so well advanced that the completion of the entire line to Bir- mingham will be possible by July 15.
 High-class construction is a feature of the entire road All the bridges are of steel. It has a siding mile long every four and half miles, and a water tank every 15 miles. The sta tion buildings are neat and substantial. The general shops are located at Fitz- gerald, Ga.
 The building of this great system has brought into existence new steam ship facilities at Brunswick. There are to be two sailings week to New York, and two to Boston. These sea connections will give some idea of the importance of the new railroad, and of the intention to give it plenty of busi- ness at both ends. A railroad that con- trols at one end steamships and at the other mines and furnaces will be pretty sure to have an abundance of traffic from the very outset, and the new road should be considered one of the finest and most promising in Birmingham's s list, and that list will soon include all systems of the southeast.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-03-26
A staff is quickly found to beat dog
 -2 King Henry w..
Riohts of the Minority

The democrats in the House, led by John Sharp Williams, proposes to put nn end to the transaction of business s.bv unanimous consent until the re- publican members show that they are alive to the just and reasonable de mands of the country. The majority in the House has adopted a do-nothing policy. It is proposed to pass the ap- propriation bills and adjourn to fight out the political battles of the year MT. Williams says they must at least report for consideration in the House a bill for the publicity of campaign contributions bill putting wood pulp and print paper on the free list, and @ bill against ex-parte injunctions act ing as a supersedas of law passed by a sovereign state. Failing to report these bills the minority leader tells the majority they will meet parliament ary obstruction at every turn. This would prolong the session, create dis cussion and keep the republicans who are lame in every joint in constant pain and trouble.
 MT. Williams should make his threat good. He should get out of the reluc- tant reactionaries governed by Speaker Cannon all the good he can, and it will be precious little. All the measures that MT. Williams names the country demands, but it is safe to say it will get none of them unless the leader of the minority uses his power to the utmost
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-03-26

deals with reproduction cost only. He shows that universal transfers and franchise taxes have wrecked the com pany, and it is now in the hands of receivers. The roads are physically as well as financially bankrupt.
 The lesson is plain in New York. All revenue comes out of the man who pays a nickel fare, and if he is to be well served too much should not be exacted by the city in the way of trans fers and taxes. A trolley company can be oyertaxed and it can carry too many transfer passengers. New York is get ting the truth from the hands of the public utilities commissions own law
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-03-26
WON A QUEER BET.

From Tit Bits.
 From Salzburg comes a story of an ex- traordinary bet made and won by a commercial traveller. The traveller. who spent IS months at New York on business, made the acquaintance of well-known American sportsman. The question arose in conversation how long a man could stand continuous travelling in a railway carriage.
 The traveller bet that he> could remain whole year in a train, going up and down the same distance. The American wagered &12OO he could not hold out so long. The traveller undertook that from midnight on December l, 1906 he would travel continuously on the line from Vienna to Linz, Salzburg and Innsbruck, going and returning.
 The bet was duly recorded by a Vi enna lawyer, with whom the money was deposited. The traveller thereupon enter ed an express train and throughout 1907 he dined, slept and dressed on board. His only pauses were while waiting for the next train at one of the above named stations.
 At Salzburg his wife used to wait for him. He exchanged a few nasty words with her and then returned to his car- riage. Toward the end of his long and monotonous task he was seized with a violent attack of influenza, which threat ened to make him lose his money, but his excellent constitution enabled him to hold out, and some days ago he received the amount deposited. His health, with the exception of slight nervous shock, is goOd
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-03-26
FITz LEE STONED SCOTT.
Young Virginia Cadet Made Merry
 With the Dignified General.

From the West Point Before the War,
 by Gen. s. w. Ferguson, in April Met
 ropolitan.
 Fitz was always most popular, full of fun and ready for any devilment. Once during the encampment we were both under arrest for some caper and (as was customary we had to march to the mess hall with a guard, instead of with the battalion. At that time Scotts tac- ties were used. and we were always formed in two ranks. The squad, under command of Corporal Montague, was marching to the mess hall and had all most reached the chapel when General Scott himself appeared and crossed our path in front of us. The corporal on seeing the great general, strengthened himself like a ramrod, called out In his most martial tones Close up there and stepped out, toes pointed and eyes rigidly to the front. Fitz and I were in the rear of the column. To my amazcment ani ccnsternaton, Fitz jumped one side. picked up round stone and sent 1t bowl ing along the fiagstones close by the gen. eral and was back in his place, as rigid as anyone, in a second. The old general stopped, looked up, then around; there was nothing in sight but the squad of the guard He could not imagine that the stone came from such a source and resumed his walk. We had not gone more than few steps when Fitz repeated the performance, saying on each occasion as he got back in place, "Ha! old big general, you can't catch me- By this time we had passed the front of tha chapel and the general was out of sight. The last glimpse I ..dd of him he was looking around for the source whence came the rocks. I have often wondered what would have been the thoughts of the corporal had he known what was going on. and have wondered. too, what report he would have made. l was badly scared must confess. but it was never
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-03-26

ton in hourishing condition. He says great preparations are being made there to as- sist in making the Confederate reunion at Birmingham a big success.
 $. D. Wilbourne of Marion was in Blr- mingham yesterday He says Perry coun. ty will give heavy vote for Tomlinson for delegate-at-large MT Wilbourne is d candidate for alternate delegate from the Ninth congressional district.
 Grand Chancellor J. D. Block of Mobile, of the Alabama grand lodge Knights of Pythias, passed through Birmingham yes- terday. He attended the First district convention of the order in Piedmont and will spend today in Selma.
 Governor Conner returned last night from Montgomery, arriving on very late train, and repairing to his home immedi- ately. His strenuous trips over the state locating high schools seems to agree with him, for he appears in fine health.
 T. NJ. Jones of Decatur is at the New Morris.
 George Baneslein of Talledega Is at the New Morris
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-03-26
Taxes and Transfers In New York

After all, 1t was not stock watering or other stock manipulations that wrecked the surface roads of New York city. Lawyer Wins of the public utilities commission recently explained the situation. He showed that the city had overworked the surface business in it's requirements of universal trans fers and franchise taxes. Besides de- manding each year $900.000 in fran. chise taxes it also demanded universal transfers with result that in the last fiscal year the number of revenue pas. sengers had fallen to 376,629, ,00O, while the number of transfer passengers had risen to 194 ,765OO0. MT. Twins esti- mates t the consolidated system could be eproduced at cost of $106,- 600,O00, and the company could earn on this only 3.4 per cent From such earnings no dividends on stock and no franchise tax could be paid.
 | The surface roads are capitalized at k24o.ooo,OOo mostly water. but MT. Wins
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-03-26
Iron Prices Primer

While the pig iron market Is quiet as compared with buying movements in January and February there is note of encouragement in the strength ening of prices. In Birmingham some fairly good sales are reported this week and a considerable percentage of the tonnage has been contracted for at SIS. A week ago it was difficult to sell iron at price above $1250 on No. ? basis.
 When the market was weakening early in the month it looked as if the price would decline to $12 or go even lower. But it is now felt in iron cir cles that s1250 was bottom; and that the market will soon harden at $13 and advance to $1350 before the summer These prices will be satis- factory for the first half of a year that promised to be dull. It costs to make iron $2 to $2.50 less now than it did in 1907; and very little improvement in general trade will be required to bring two or three more furnaces in this dis trict into blast.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-03-26
SHEPHERD CAMP.

From the PittSburg Post.
 That size has any bearing upon the unctiousness of a comedian is we'll illus trated in the case of Shepherd Camp, the versatile fun maker in the Academy this week. MT. Camp is a large man, weighing in the neighborhood of 300 man. His appearance is the signal for a round of laughter, in which he joins as natural as one of his sense of humor would be expected to do.
 It Is surprising to note the effect a large man has upon the audience. It is a matter of common knowledge that q large man is more easily made to laugh than his cynically-inclined brother. Why this is so the physiologists will have to answer. In MT. Camp they have an ex- cellent subject upon which to study their conclusions.
 Aside from his ability to make people laugh by his native humor, MT. Camp has the knack of producing and writing burlesques that prove just as interesting He has been on the stage for many years, and not among the meanest of his profession, either.
 Like all men of his temperament, he is most optimistic in his sentiments He predicts successful season next year despite the uncertain business condition that just now prevails. MT. Camp is at work on several new burlesque offer ings that will undoubtedly sustain his reputation as a successful humorist. He is very fond of music and is possessed of good singing voice. One of his hobbies Is the artistic arrangement of the chorus ensembles. He delights in seeing the girls prettily costumed and grouped in attractive pictures when on the stage.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-03-26
ORIGIN OF HOSPITALS.
Romans Established the Earliest Insti.
 tutions of the Kind.

From the Boston Globe.
 Among the expenditures by states and cities, those for the maintenance of hos proval of the public.
 The work accomplished in hospitals by boards of trustees and expert practi- tioners of medicine and surgery cannot be too highly praised. In populous cities thousands of individuals are cared for annually, and a very large percentage of the cases are handled successfully. With out these admirable establishments thou sands of the sick and unfortunate might very easily cease to exist.
 Since the earliest times there have been some sort of places which were designed for hospital work, although at first they were little more than shelters or cheaply built almshouses. In the Roman camps there was a medical staff to look after the wounded.
 Among the earliest hospitals on record is that said to have been founded by valens in Caesarea 37O-S0 A. D., and the one built in Rome by Fabiola, Roman lady, although like most others of that and even later times, both institutions probably were almshouses as we'll
 The origin of our present hospitals is traced to the monastic arrangements for the care of the sick and indigent. Every monastery once housed the sick and con- valescent
 Almost the earliest record of the build ing of hospital in England is in the life of Lanfranc, archbishop of Canterbury, who in 10S0 founded two, one for leprosy and one for ordinary diseases. In the eighteenth century London, betweeen 1719 and TAT, established five public and five special hospitals. In Ireland, between 1726 and 1774 there were five public and three special ones established in Dub lin, one in Cork one in Limerick, and in 1797 one in Belfast.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-03-26
Attends "oId Hoss" Sale.

T dropped around to the Southern S old hoss sale this afternoon said Capt Jack Cranford last night Things were surely going high around there. I saw one man pay 25 cents for a box of last years almanacs. I asked the auctioneer if he couldn't throw in a few of last years birds nests for good measure
 'One lady got her moneys worth, how ever. She drew a small box for SIPS containing 400 good cigars. There was some talk of it's being booze, but this did not develop"
 Some time later Captain Jack was seen walking up Nineteenth street, swinging his Jovial six feet along, with the tiniest newsboy in Birmingham swaggering at the same gait. They were holding hands and swinging arms just like playmates, and the captain was taking his little friend up to big restaurant dinner. These two are great cronies; the boy, who is the Hillman hotel newspaper seller. often spending several weeks in Jasper as the guest of his kind friend
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-03-26
About Persons.

MT. J. w. Donoly of the Shubert Bros executive staff is in the city perfecting ar engagements for the coming of "The Road to Yesterday" which appears at the Jef- .erson theatre on April The play is said to be an absolute novelty, far away from the ordinary stories found in plays to the new discovered country of dream land.
 John A. Topping of New York, chair man of the Republic Iron and Steel com pany, is in Birmingham and will remain here until Saturday
 
 Edgar B. Kay, professor of engineer ing at Tuscaloosa, is in Birmingham He is interested in the waterway from the Warrior river having made surveys for the great project. l.. Sevier, first vice president of the Seaboard Air Line, with headquarters at Norfolk, was in Birmingham yesterday. F. w. Miller, commercial agent of the C. c. and L. of Atlanta, Is in the city.
  J. H. McAllister, commercial agent of the Northern and Western from Chatta- rooga, was a visitor in local railroad circles yesterday. J. M Whitford of Atlanta. prominent railroad commercial agent, spent Wednes- day in the city. E. Schryver, general freight agent of the Alabama Great Southern, returned yesterday from Cincinnati. T. S. Lyman of Montevallo was To- cal visitor on Wednesday. ]. A. Bingham of Talladega was regis tered at the Morris last night. He is a prominent republican of the Fourth dis tricts
 P, P. Hunter of Jasper is at the New Morriss
 WI n Edmondson, editor of the Annis- ton Hot Blast spent yesterday In Bir- mingham, MT. Edmondson reports Annis-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-03-26
Julius Chambers in the Brooklyn Eagle.

Julius Chambers in the Brooklyn Eagle.
 3HE smallest and yet greatest
 9 street in this world is a dark
 little alleylike passage in the west of London, and No. 10 is the site of it's most important rouse. This building more closely resembles middle class boarding house, such as are usually kept by the widows of army officers. than a place of official importance. But No. 10 Downing street is the official residence of the prime ministers of the British empire, and has been since the time Of Sir Robert Wapole, or about POO years
 Many Americans go out of their way to gaze upon the dingy, almost repellent exterior of this lodge of diplomacy and national ambition, because Sir George Downing, who laid out the street and built the house therein, was of American ancestry, his mother belonging to the Winthrops of Massachusetts bay colony; and stands as the second graduate on the roster of Harvard college. After getting sn American education, he went to Eng land and, seizng opportunity when 1t of fered, became Oliver Cromwelrs s ambassa- dor at The Hague. He grew so rich that Charles II did not displace him. Those ere the days in which graft" was ex- pected of public officials. He invested his money in a strip of land on the western side of Whitehall and built the houses on two sides of the short street that cuts through it. One often reads in the let ters of Americans who are making their first visit to London that the tall Nelson monument in Trafalgar square. is the center of the great British empire. They mistake the point from which all dis tunces are calculated for the strategical center of the English world. Were they to walk down Whitehall, toward Vest minister abbey few hundred yards, they would pass the entrance to Downing street, absolutely the most important Ilace in London.
 When one speaks of "the official resi- dence" of a foreign minister of state, he is not to be understood as intimating thas the parsonage lives there. It is the place
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-03-26
Frank Julian In City,

Secretary of State Frank N. Julian Of Montgomery came up last night with the governor and will remain in Birming- ham today.
 "Everything is quiet down in Mont gomery since the municipal election is over," he said. "The new code is being prepared and will be ready to ship With in two weeks. l sent my chief clerk to Nashville today to look into the matter.
 "The insurance department will make a better showing this year than ever, continued Mr. Julian. 'This is especially true of the companies of the south. The people are beginning to realize that the southern companies are strong, and are patronizing the home interests
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-03-26
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
Birminqham's Growth.

H. H. sinnige of St. Louis, who has been in Birmingham for week, left for home last night. He was formerly prominent citizen of Birmingham and he comes back from time to time to see his friends and to look after investments which he has here
 ''I find substantial improvements every time l visit Birmingham" said Mir Sin- nige yesterday. "Even at this time, when there is Hull in business. the city looks prosperous and progressive. Birmingham is wonderful place, and I can see now that it has a much bigger future than even the most optimistic used to predict.
 This district, with its up-to-date de- velopment in steel production, will make rapid strides from now on, and it is only a question of time when Birmingham will be the largest and richest city in the south."
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-03-26
HoM E..

By Stephen Chalmers. Wherever smoke wreaths Heavenward curl Cave of hermit
 Hovel of churl, Mansion of merchant. princely dome Out of the dreariness, Into it's cheeriness, Come we in weariness-
 Home. l, too, have wandered Through the far lands. Home there was their home, Open their hands. Yet, though all brothers, born of the foam,
 Far OCT the appalling sea, Ever enthralling me. Blood still was calling me Men speak of jewels Earth holds abroad What can compare with One bit of sod, Full of the love-gold sunk in the loam, Where lies my holy dead, There, where my mother shed Tears OCT my sleeping head
 Home? Home, where I first knew Day was alight Where l would fain be Ere the Long Night, That they might write this in some old tome This earth the womb was- JK This earth the bloom was- fY N This earth the tomb was-
 Home!
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-03-26
CARL scHURZ AND THE MEDIUM,

An extraordinary experience with me- dium is given in the April installment of the Carl Schurz memoirs in McClure's.
 After receiving what purported to be a message from Schiller, General Schurz asked that the spirit of Lincoln be sum- moned to tell why President Johnson had called Schurz to Washington.
 "The answer came: He wants you to make an important journey for him. asked where that journey would take me. Answer: He will tell you tomorrow I asked further, whether I should under take that journey Answer: Yes, do not fail' q may add, by the way, that at that time I had not the slightest antici- patton as to what President Johnsons intention with regard to me was).
 Having disposed of this matter, I asked whether the spirit of Lincoln had anything more to say to me. The answer came: Yes; you will be a senator of the United States This struck me as so fanciful that I could hardly suppress a laugh, but I asked further: From what state? Answer: From Missouri This was more provokingly mysterious still; but there the conversation ceased.
 Hardly anything could have been more improbable at that time than that should be a senator of the United States from the state of Missouri. My domicile was in Wisconsin, and I was then think ing of returning there. l had never thought of removing from Wisconsin to Missouri, and there was not the slightest prospect of my ever doing so.
 "But-to forestall my narrative-two years later l was surprised by an en- tirely unsought and unexpected business proposition which took me to St. Louis and in January, 1s69 the legislature of Missouri elected me a senator or the United States. I then remembered the prophecy made to me at the spirit seance in the house of my friend Tiedemann, in Philadelphia"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-03-26

theless very funny. One must have known the pompous old general to be able to realize how indignant he looked at the carelessness of anyone allowing .L rock to be thrown so near him, the com- mander-in-chief of the army. A short time after, at the grand ball always given tefore striking camp for barracks, Fitz walked up to the general, introduced him. self, and had quite an animated conversa- ton with him.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-03-26
AROUND THE COUNTRY

Atlanta Journal: They call it the 'Mer- ry Widow hat because 1t drives man. kind mad.
 Atlanta Constitution: Why not solve two problems by putting Congress to work on the public roads?
 Knoxville Sentinel: Every day or two Teddy threatens to hit Congress over the head with special message.
 Atlanta Georgian Many a boy will give feeling testimony that he has at tended fathers congress in the wood shed.
 New York Telegram: Seems a bit strange. though, that with the general betterment of things there has been no improvement made in the probe.
 Knoxville Journal and Tribune: Grover Cleveland is Il years old; but he believes himself young enough to know real democrat when he happens to see one.
 Chicago Record-Herald: Our people" says MT. Cleveland, need rest, peace and reinsurance" How are they to have these things with the uncertainties of baseball about to be demonstrated again?
 Norfolk Virginian-Pilot: A newspaper editor out in Missouri has the name of Crank. It would be strange if some few of his readers were not inclined to hold that there is something in a name.
 Washington Herald: Of course, the newly invented "noiseless gun" will force the forthcoming Deadwood Dick stories to begin with something else than Crack, crack. crackl spoke the bandits trusty rifle,'
 Springfield Republican,: A man was ar rested in St. Louis the other day for giving away s5 and s10 bills to 8 mixed crowd. He might have distributed them all day to Pullman porters, hotel bell boys, and stock brokers without exciting unfayora ble comment