davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1908-12-30
GRAPHIC STORY TOLD BY
CITY CHEMIST GREGORI

Catania, Sicily, Dec. 3O.-Cit,
Chemist Gregory, of Messina, arrive,
here this afternoon with one of tn,
most remarkable stories yet told o.
the great disaster.
IL was on ferry boat just outside
OF Messina when the quake came,
he said. 1T was the most terrific
shock that could be imagined. The
ca in front OF the boat opened In a
great chasm, and the water, being
suddenly windward from behind us,
the boat went down and struck the
bottom with such force that II was
shattered to pieces.
Tho boat was crowded, and be-
lieve that / am the only person that
curvived. | remember little after the
boat went to pieces, except that / WAS
caught in great swirl OF rushing,
rearing water. In some way | man
ag TO cling to a piece OF wreckage,
and at length landed on the Italian
side.
II made my way to Reggie, where
! found the streets literally filled with
dead bodies, and people absolutely
Insane.
1T was one long picture OF ruin
and horror. had hard time hold
ing on to my senses and keeping from
losing my mind. ! thought for n
time / had died and gone to hell.
'In a public square came upon
Tina Morialna, the opera singer, seat
ed among a great pile Of bodies OF
women and men, grooming over a bigd
cege, In which were two little ca
naries. Although the birds were
chirping quite gaily. Marina was be-
moaning tho death of all the birds In
Italy.
"'All the birds-the sweet singern
they are all dead, she said, look
ing up at me with faint, sad smile,
as II she recognized me. She was
hopelessly insane. as was everyone
else who was alive in Reggie. The
dead and dying were everywhere. II
was impossible 10 pass along the
streets without stepping over the
bodies of men and women.
I'm some place5-oh, how horrible
II was-the bodies were so thick that
I could not pass without actually
stepping upon some of the PROSTATE
forms.
'The presence of so many dead
seemed to numb the senses, These
bodies lost any personality. They
were like 80 many bags of wheat at
ter awhile.
II saw the body of one woman
with two dead children in her arms.
Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1908-12-30
burglars Rob Postonlce.

Fresno, Cal, Dec. 30,-Burglars
entered the postofiice at Fowler last
night and, after dynamiting the safe
took possession of $500 worth of
stamps and money. After having car
ried their loot out OF the wrecked
postofiice they rode away on bicycles.
II is thought that the same cracks
men who looted the postohce at
Klngsburg and Lemoore are identi-
fled with this crime.
Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1908-12-30
india
TROUBLES
ENGLAND

! Omitted Press Leased Wire)
London, Dec. 30.-A desperate
fight over India's future will begin
as soon as parliament reas.embles in
February.
On one side the reactionaries will
stop at nothing to prevent any move
in the direction OF autonomy for the
dependency.
on the other, the pro-Indians will
savagely criticize the law, recently
passed by India council at Calcut-
Ia, and approved by the India secre-
tary, Lord Morley. here, by which
the sonthern provinces were virtual
ly placed under martial law, and tho
viceroy was empowered to extend II
throughout the whole country.
The reactionaries' strength was
not realized until Lord Morley re-
vcaled his Intentions 10 give gradual
ly more and more of the Indian ad-
ministratlve offices to natives instead
of Englishmen.
BY the old aristocracy, which has
always considered India a providen-
TALLY given refuge for England s
younger sons" and poor relations" :"
this suggestion was received as al
most reasonable.
Men of this class are ready to face
mutiny, go TO war or even TO risk
loss of the dependency rather than
sacrifice any of these places.
The pro-Indians Tay the India
council went beyond all decency in
depriying the natives of trial by jury
and providing for summary trials
and executions in cases of sedition
and anarchy The effect, Il is
charged. has been the elimination Of
the Hindu's lat hone of Justice and
the establishment of despotism worse
than the cars, because perpetrat !
by a dominant power npon a subject
race.
Ii Is for his failure to veto the
law that Lord Morley will be ma le
the especial object of attack.
The India secretary is theoretically
supreme in the government of the
dependency, and parliament can
neither force him into any policy he
disapproves nor from a course he
has chosen.
1t can drive him from office. how
ever, by refusal to vote appropria-
tions for his department., and, foe
that matter. an evident majority
against him would be sure to NEAR
his retirement.
1t is as yet uncertain whether
Morley will be. able to command a
majority or not The contest prom-
ises quickly 70 assume immense i'm
portance, however, smashing oId par-
ty alignments and provoking quar-
rels that may completely alter exist-
ing British present conditions.
Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1908-12-30
Omitted Press Leased wire.)


London, Dec. 3O.-The armies o
the unemployed throughout England
Scotland, ireland and Wales, the
growth of a malign and vicious poljt.
ical power. backed by the liquor in
forests. and the obstructive methods
of the House of Lords are causes that
today thrcaten Great Britain with
the greatest political crisis in the Lest
as years OF her history.
The house of commons, which has
been rivcn by fectlons for many
years, Is becoming solidified for &C.
tion on these three vital matters Of
political policy, and the existence of
the house of lords is at stake.
The point of attack upon the up
rar. houne will be the weakest spot in
the decadent aristocratic body-her-
editary lawmaking The liberals,
gaining an increasing asccndency,
have vowed to change the form of
succession to vacancies in the house
of lords from hereditary to elective
One method OF accomplishing this
Ia been tried, and has failed, that
Of opening up the great game pre-
serves owned by the nobility. The
claim that II this could be
Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1908-12-30
GREAT BRITAIN FACES
GREAT POLITICAL CRISIS

accomplished there would be vast
acreage for the unemployed to make
their homes npon.
Another metho dis though flance;
Next Aprils budget-the bill pro-
viding governmental appropriations
and tax levies to meet them-will be
purposely designed to bear heavily
on the class the peers represent.
The British constitution allows the
lords to do one OF two things with a
finance bill. They may reject It en-
tirely, or pass It without alteration.
No changes are permitted in It's pro-
visions.
Refusal to pas sthe bill means the
stopping of appropriations for the
army, navy and the civil service.
Shoull the lords dare to do this Il
would mean the cabinets resigna-
ton. the dissolution of parliament
and a call for a general election.
The peers own the game preserves,
they own the great brewerles, and
therefore refuse to curb the growing
liquor power. They own the govern
ment, practically, through obstruc-
ZIONIST tactics, and their elimination
will be the great fight during the
coming sessions.
Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1908-12-30

caught and crushed in a doorway
Beside her was a man, evidently hei
husband, who seemed 10 have been
struck down while trying to release
her Such sights were so common
that | hardly noticed them, and |
cannot tell what It was that Inn
pressed this group on my dazcd brain
Every building in the city seemed
to have been wrecked. / tried TO ge.
away as quickly as possible. / Ild
not know or care whore I went, but
crowded into a boat bound for Mes
s'na.
"once in my own city-Messiua--
! found destruction and death as gem
cral as at Reggie. Everywhere was
ruin.
The streets were blockaded and
II would have been impossible for mo
TO have found my way to my homo,
even II II had not been burned.
81 kept recognizing familler faces
among the dead in the street. until
my mind began to lose its balance. |
became seasick and felt that the
earthquake wars continuing. II
seemed to me that the whole of Sicily
was rocking to and fro with the
movement of the sea.
Perhaps / tainted cannot tell
remember being pushed on by SOL
dier, who placed a bayonot between
my shoulders, and told me to go to
headquarters and report for duty.
~ then walked through the streets.
making my way over ruins, which
sometimes seemed TO block the
streets entirely | remember climb
ing over great Pile OF debris, and
there on tn top OF Il came upon the
bodies of three little children. be-
side which small brown dog stood
on guard, The dog had not been in
Jured In the destruction of the city.
but some manner had found the chill
dren OF the family to which II be-
longed, 1t charged me vlciomsly and
caught its fangs in my clothing. }.
was forced to retreat and seek pas
sage through another street.
THE soldiers at headquarters told
me that they had made an estimate
from observations and reports, indi-
eating that 10000 were dead in Mes
sina, ana that an equal number were
dead in Reggie, I believe that this
is not in the least exaggerated. 1t Is
impossible to exaggerate It. There is
no way to tell of the horror of the
disa'ter, much less exaggerate it,"
Gregory cannot tell how he got
into the shin which brought him
here. He tainted after telling the
story, and is in a serious condition.
Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1908-12-30

The dogs $50 dragged sss st,, ,D. an, n, ~
crous roads, reacblns = = O'Hlu
as the steamer was ga,,'' ''1's'p
10 leave the dock. '''''s ''''1
Throwing the rein. ., !.
u bystander, Mrs. Sln,,', y l'' las
plank and sank c,hsa'. ~ ''a gs
deck completely worn ,a,''' ~, ''a I
Is .Iowly recovering IrDn Sr,, a'I :
ness. "Vm Ah s
Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1908-12-30
Sends Aid To lal,.
United Press Leased M.

lUnited Press Les,.. -.
Washington, D. G. NJ, "asl y
executive committee o, =. '''-a
Red Cross Society at a mso,,. =, a''I'aI
decided to send to the i,sn' l,,a'.
Cross society $4,000. Tsl. ''.l =
is the surplus on hand from ~ :. 'n'''
lriontlons % to the fund for NJ = r., =
OF San Francisco for the s,,,,. "
Of 1905. ''I'laulII
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-09
Cheap Politics

When Congressman J. Warren Keller of Ohio started his agitation for reduc- ing the south's representation in the House he promised that be would make his proposition prominent issue in the coming campaign. Congressman Bennett of New York has joined the Ohio member and has introduced bill reapportioning the members under the 18th census, on the ground that the rights of suffrage have been abridged. He claims that were his bill to be enacted Alabama's representa- tion in Congress would be reduced from nine to five members and that the south as a whole would lose 8 Congressmen. MT. Bennett's bill has been referred to the census committee and the chances are that it will never be considered. It is simply cheap poli- tics.
 Congressman Keller was once speaker of the House and has there fore had experience in political legisla- ton. He knows that the measure he is now advocating will never be adopt- ed, and he can hardly think that it will help the republican party to win votes.
 Twenty-Five years ago sectional feel ing was still in evidence and could easily be stirred to bitterness. As late as 1880 the bloody shirt" was waved in the north with telling effect; and as late as 1888 sectional feeling still had to be reckoned with. But all the Crumpackers, Keifers and Forakers, who were years ago known as south haters, could not combine today and make a vote-getting issue of sectional ism such as is now proposed by the ex-speaker. The country is thoroughly united and any campaign issue to be effective must be based on something that touches the people regardless of tn old Mason and Dixon line. Keller is making a grandstand play. That's
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-09
Congressman TayIor's Visit

A conference will take place today at the Commercial club rooms, and the object of the conference will be to consider the development of the Alabama waterways. Congressman Taylor will be present. He will be present because as a member of the rivers and harbors committee he de- sires to know what public sentiment in this district is. All needful improve ments cannot be made at once, and necessarily a programme will be adopt ed by Congress.
 Congress will no doubt decide at first to open those rivers that would benefit the most people, and those in this district who are interested in the opening of the Warrior should attend today's conference. Congressman Tay- Tor has adopted a wise policy. He de- sires to get in touch with the people, and he should be given warm well come today.
 The opening of the Warrior is not at all a local measure. It is as na- tional as the opening of any river that can be mentioned, for it's object is the transportation to tidewater of coal, coke, iron and steel. It looks to the needs of other states and perhaps other countries. When it is opened bunker coal will be supplied at gulf ports at lower rates than such coal is supplied in any other ports in the world. These and similar facts should be brought out at today's conference.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-09
A Biq Timber Deal.

"1t will be news to many people," said a pioneer citizen, ''that there yet remains in Alabama unsold to saw mill men two valuable tracts of timbered land of 1O,- 900 and 1e,O00 acres, respectively, lying in the counties of Bibb, Perry and Hale, and, to all intent and purposes, con nected.
 Tt is understood that this virgin tim Der, which it is estimated will cut from 1000 to 5000 feet to the acre, has been acquired by capitalists in the south A representative of this interest was in Birmingham this week for the purpose of arranging certain details as to maps and titles after a very careful examina- ton of the property itself. This body of timber land was acquired some years ago by parties who live in Pensacola, Bruns- wick and Bristol, Va. It Is flnaked on two sides by the Mobile and Ohio rail- road and the Alabama Great Southern, and is bisected by the Cahaba river. It is understood that the price paid by the new owners is in the neigh borhood of $12.50 per acre. This large deal had been in the hands of Birmingham brok- CTS for some weeks"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-09
JOHN JOHNSON AS A BOY.

From Current Literature for January.
 John left school to help his mother. She took in washing and John delivered the washing. Two years later he got job as clerk in a grocery store and then prevailed upon his mother to quit her job and let him support the family One would think that early experience of this sort would have hardened and soured the boys character. Being the son of a common drunkard in a village where everybody knows everybody else is about one can conceive of. But there was one fact that saved him from an excess of ridicule and persecution. There wasn't a lad of his age in St. Peters that could beat him playing baseball. He would come home from his work day after day and make his brother stand up against the wall in the back yard while he prac- ticed straight-arm pitching. There is no chance for a boy to become a pariah in an American town if he can get a swift ball over the home plate and can wield the willow for an occasional home run. The governor is still a baseball ent,hus- fast, and only second to his interest in that is his interest in football.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-09

prevent a panic at that time. It is not easy to see in it much # any good in sharp and sudden crisis. It is a makeshift measure intended to bam- boozle the minimizing. It has been drawn to appease the popular demand for a currency reform bill. It is polit- ical, not financial. It is theoretical, not practical In the stress and strain of a panic like that of October it would slowly dole out currency to be hoarded, without any resultant gain in the restoration of public confidence. The republican party is preparing to offer the people a law that would not in crisis be automatic and sudden enough to do much good.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-09
SeIetrIno Aldermen Next Fall

The board of aldermen to be elected next fall is charged with the duty of subdividing the greater city into wards and it is further empowered to elect two aldermen for each of the new wards in the outlying district.
 It would be gracious and demo- cratic to let each of the new wards have a voice in this matter. They could voluntarily hold informal pri- maries, and the Board of Aldermen could then make the men named in the informal primaries aldermen of the greater city. This plan would take away all feelings of resentment because it would carry to all home rule. It would show that the central city is actuated by a spirit of fairness and equal rights.
 Much depends upon fair treatment and fair representation of the annexed district, and perhaps no single policy would go farther in that direction than the grant of home rule when the mem- bers of the larger board are selected.
 The present Board of Aldermen is to have no voice in the matter, and when a new board is chosen the policy pointed out should be kept in mind. No American district is willing to be treated in the Russian manner, and there is no reason at all for ignoring good America methods for the sake of lugging in autocratic ideas of any sort
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-09
MAKING THE DIRT FLY."

From the New York Tribune.
 This is the record down to date of ex- cavation at Panama:
 In 1904, under the old French methods of work, average for the month, S0,434 cubic yards.
 In 1905, under MT. Wallaces improved methods, average for the month 92,SsS cubic yards.
 In 1906, under Mir. Stevens energetic direction, average for the month 412,S7 cubic yards.
 In July, 1907. for the month, 1.O72.627 cubic yards.
 In August, 1907, for the month, 1,274,- 404 cubic yards.
 In September. 1907, for the month, 1,517,729 cubic yards.
 In October, 1907, for the month, l. S6S, 729 cubic yards.
 In December, 1907, for the month, D. 2O0,530 cubic yards.
 Last six months of 1907, monthly av- craze, 1,62S,699 cubic yards.
 As the late Rev. Brother Jasper would have remarked, De dirt do fly"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-09
WARFIELD'S START.

From the American Magazine.
 For some months after joining the Casino company Warfeld begged the chance to interpolate the character of an east side Jew peddler, short beard, derby hat pushed down over the ears, shrewd, leery, but humorous; in brief, the Jews of New York streets, not the conventional caricature of the theatre. He had observed the type first hand; he had tried it on the stage with "Russelrs Comedians,' in provincial cities, and he was convinced he could make hit with it. But the manager of the Casino said
 No, his patrons would never stand for such part (which shows how little he knew his own race). But presently the Casino company played ball game for charity with another company, up at the Polo baseball grounds in New York. All the actors and actresses who couldn't play ball were widely advertised to ap- pear on the field in costume to sell pea nuts and souvenirs. The press agent was busy for days ahead, the idea amused the public; and when the afternoon of the game arrived grandstand and bleach- CTS were filled to overnowing. And sud- denly out upon the field walked Jew ish peddier, the short beard, the too large derby crushed down over the ears, the shuffling gait, the grin which showed white teeth above a rolling under lip-al uncannily true to life. And this strange figure, on a hot mid-summed afternoon was persuasiveiy and cunningly selling bits of cracked ice as souvenirsl In five minutes he was the most talked-about figure on the field. In ten minutes every body knew that it was David Warfield And that very evening his Solomon Levi was introduced into the Casino Review and his Broadway reputation had begun"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-09
THE RATTLESNAKE.

From Forest and Stream.
 A rattlesnake carries his rattles on edge. They have no light-colored side. They never have holes worn through them. They do not drag them on the ground when crawling. They slope up from the end of the tail on the under edge and are usually carried at an angle of about 45 degrees.
 A rattlesnake does not shake his tail when rattling. The shedding of the skin each year discloses a new rattle. When in proper position rattlesnake can strike nearly one-half of his length. You can run the tine of a pitchfork down through the center of his head, and his rattles will stand up and buzz for hours, but draw sharp knife across the back of his neck and the tail will lie down and the rattling cease. The power house Is in his head, and the current that sounds the warning is carried by the spinal cord.
 It pains me to have to say that whis- ky is not an antidote for the bite of the rattlesnake; in fact, it is about the worst thing the patient can take, as it heats the blood and thus stimulates the absorption of the venom and gives you a headache the next day. Not one person out of a dozen struck by a rat tlesnake receives any of the venom in the wound, and this, perhaps, accounts for the many cures by whisky.
 When struck cut the wounds down. ward, being careful not to cut too much or too deep, and suck the wound The venom taken into the mouth or stomach is perfectly harmless. Or, If you are alone, and cannot reach the wounds with your mouth, and can heat tho blade of Your knife red hot, use that. But when hunting snakes carry a syringe loaded with permanganate of potash, and inject it into the wound and you will find 1t a perfect cure.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-09
WOMEN FOR THE PosToFFIcEs.

From the Baltimore Sun.
 Senator Clay of Georgia is entirely in the right in opposing the discharge of women postmasters in the smaller of fees in the south. The village postof- flee is coveted by storekeepers, who wish to have it in the country store to at- tract customers. It also has it's political importance, and the postoffce is often the gathering place of the local politici- ans, where they exchange views and agree upon men and neighborhood af- fairs and delegates to county conventions and what not. Because of these gather ings and the smoky atmosphere of the many country stores, the postoffioe domi- ciled therein is not always the most att tractive place for women and children to go for their letters. When the post master is a woman everything is differ ent. Some storekeeper has usually been deprived of the offiee and misses it in his business. It is no longer a congenial place for the district politicians to as- semble and smoke. But it is clean and fit for women to enter. The mail matter is disposed of in an orderly way. There is always some one present to wait upon people, and, as an almost invariable rule, there is the strictest honesty and &C., curacy in accounting for the government funds The office of rural uAstmaster is one which can be filled mosE accept ably by women, and usually without talk ing them from their home duties. These appointments ought not to be restricted to men. The more women employed in them the better for the public and for the government.