davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-10-03
GETTING A LIGHf
Advance From Days of Rubbing to Days
Striking.

striking fire into tlnder from a flint
and steel. These matches were In
common use for many years, Then
some one invented the instantaneous
light box" This consisted of small
tin box containing q bottle, In which
was placed some sulphuric acid, with
enough flbrous asbestos to soak Ii up
and prevent its spilling out of the
bottle, and supply of properly pre-
pared matches. These primitive
matches consisted of small spliDts OF
wood about two inches long. one end
OF which was coated with q chemical
mixture, prepared by mixing ohloTate
of potash, six parts; powdered loaf
sugar, two parts; powdered gum ara
bic, one part; the whole colored with
little vermillion and mixed with
water until 1t became thin paste.
The splints were flrst dipped into
melted sulphur and then into the pre-
pared paste. They were really made
to burn by dipping the prepared ends
into sulphuric acid. We would sure
ly regard this as q pretty bothersom0
kind of'a match, and one with which
1t would not be easy to strike light
If one wanted to light the gas In ones
house in the dark. One would need
light in order to strike light with
matches of this kind. A common
name for matches of this kind was
''spunks."
It was not until about the year
that khn Rrfakton vnakhnA ~ nh.
tanning a light began to be devel-
oped, and friction matches came into
use. There are many persons still
living who have distinct recollection
of the first friction matches they ever
saw, and these matches we're looked
upon with some distrust at first be-
cause OF the ease with which they
went off," Some feared that they
, might "go of" of their own accord
and burn people out OF house and
home. In the year 1879 peculiar
match was introduced. Phosphorus
and sulphur were carefully mixed In
a glass tube tightly corked. A splin-
ter of wood was slipped into the tube.
small portion of the mixture was
uTHWu OuJs anu Wu0u Lnlb Was eApuh0u
to the air 1t ignited and set flre to the
wood. But this was not q very han
dy" match, after all. and. people
clamored for something still simpler
and more effective. John Walker, u
druggist in England, invented the
first really practical friction matches,
giving to them the name OF Con
greves." They were of thin strips
of wood, or cardboard, coated and
dipped with sulphur and tipped with
mixture of sulphide of antimony,
chlorate OF potash and mucilage. But
they were expensive and beyond the
reach of the common people, costing
twenty-five cents for seven dozen of
them. Take it "by and large" It
would be difficult to mention an in
vention of greater utility to mankind
as a genuine convenience and neces-
sity than the common match that we
buy and hold so cheaply.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-10-03
NO GUARANTY.
Bankers > Association Opposed to
Scheme Of Postal Savings Banks.

Bankers . Association Opposed to
Scheme Of Postal Savings Banks.
DenYer--The regular business ses.
sions Of the American bankers asso
citation opened in the city auditorium
Wednesday and the vast hall, which
echoed wiz the cheers OF the Demo
Gratis when in national convention
they adopted platform favOring guar
antee of bank deposits by national law
or il this is impossible, the establish
ment of postal savings banks, wit
messed the scene of body of men rep
resenting the wealth of the nation, re-
pudiating these ideas as dangerous to
the prosperity OF the country.
Already the savings bank section,
the clearing house section and the
trust company section had gone on
record against guaranteeing bank de-
posits, and had either voted against
or shown by their attitude that they
were unalterably opposed to the es
tablIshment Of postal savings banks.
The program was a long one and
included besides the presidents ad-
dress, addresses of welcome by Gov.
ernor Buchtel and Mayor Speer the
annual report OF the secretary the re-
ports of various standing committees
and addresses by b. e. Walker, presi.
dent of the Canadian bank Of com
merce of Toronto, on Abnormal Fea-
lures of American Banking" and by
Woodrow Wilson, president Of Prince.
ton university ON "The Banker and the
Nation"
President ]. d. Powers, in his an
nual address, devoted practically his
entire time to the recent panic and his
opposition to the proposition to guar
antee bank deposits, which, he said
would not have been heard Of in the
present political campaign had there
been no financial panic.
OF the panic, he said that the un-
healthy condition that surrounded
many banking institutions in New
York required just such heroic treat
ment to allay the money-mad fever
which had possessed them. The banks
suffered by allowing the borrower
rather than the lender to fix the price
of collaterals pledged for loans.
The banking and commercial inter-
ests OF the country, ne said, had met
and overcome many vagaries put
forth for political effect; but one of
the most serious If not dangerous pro-
positions was that of government
guaranty of bank deposits.
The speaker said he was well aware
that many good men at this time,
without reference to political affllia-
ton, believe that the guaranty of bank
deposits is just and right, but, he said.
many men in the early stages of the
free silver heresy also believed that
cause just.
But there was soon a great awak-
ening when the fallacy of 16 to be-
came thoroughly exposed, and SO it
will be with the guaranty of bank de.
posits."
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-10-03
Small Chance For the Yankee.

New Bedford, Mass.-The officers of
the government tugs who have been
In port are very skeptical of the sue
cess of the efforts to raise the United
States cruiser Yankee, ashore on Hen
and Chickens reefs In Buzzards bay.
1t is believed the sanguine express
sions heard earlier in the week were
based on a miscalculation of the fury
of the seas which roll In upon the reef
In storm, and the gale of Monday
night led to the abandonment of hope
Since the storm the stern of the
steamer has settled, bringing the bow
higher out of water. The fires under
the boilers are out, and 1t Is said the
hull is now punctured from stem to
stern. Efforts have largely been de-
voted to the salvage of property
aboard, and an extra lighter was sent
down from this port for that purpose.
The wind is easterly and the barom-
eter denotes the approach of another
storm, which lends to the most serious
apprehension,
There is considerable curiosity
among the shippers at this port to
hear an explanation how it happened
that in running four and half miles
the Yankee could have gone mile
and a quarter out of her course.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-10-03
HOW HE FOUND BIG NUGGET.
Miners Success in a Long Abandoned
Placer Mine,

Johnny Kearn, who has spent many
years In the placer mines of the old
Highland district, was in Butte yes
terday. Mr.. Kearn achieved con-
siderable distinction last winter when
he discovered the largest nugget ever
found in the Highland district, 1t
netting him $12SS when 1t was sold
in the assay office in Helena.
Il will tell you how l found It,"
he said to reporter for the Standard.
Il took up some ground of my own
on the head of Poodle Dog Gulch,
where no one had a claim. went W
close to big slide and began work.
ing where placer miners had worked
forty years ago and again twenty
years ago.
II left the cabin pretty early and
built a fire on a place where 1t looked
like there used to be a side ditch.
You could trace 1t although 1t is
grass grown. thawed the ground
out and then l began digging.
Pretty soon got down to the ground,
through the black dirt to the gravel.
had not shovelled for more than
ten minutes before / found him. My
shovel struck something that seemed
hard and l looked close and saw 1t
was yellow His nose was pointed
right toward me and you bet l got
busy with my shovel, and in a little
while had him in my hands. I saw
It was nugget weighing pounds
lie weighed five of them-and
knocked Off work and came to town.
[ took him to Mr.. Johnston of the
Clark Bank and he put him in the
window, where people looked at him
for six weeks and then lie was sold
to the assay once.
Where l found the nugget men
had worked forty years ago and
twenty years ago. The last work
was done by some Cinnamon and
they were within three or four feet
of the big nugget when they quit
work. If they had found him they
would have torn up the entire noun
tain side looking for more like him"
Anaconda Standard.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-10-03
Annual Meeting of the Loyal Legion.

Burlington, Vt.--Eighty-four COM
panions, representing 20 commander
les, were in attendance at the open
ing of the oath annual meeting Of the
commandery-in-chie Of the military
order of the Loyal Legion of the Unit
ed States in this city, Sept. 80 The
commander-in-chief Maj. Gen. Gren-
Vile M. Dodge of New York, presided.
The report of the recordeT-in-chief,
Col. John T. Nicholson of Philadelphia,
showed that the total membership Of
the order is 8S4S. George Def Barton,
treasurer-in-chief, reported balance
on hand, May l, 1907, of $4,000; re-
ceipts for the year ending May 1, 1908.
$78, 8,953; disbursements for the same
period, $84,990,
The session closed during the after.
noon with the referring Of all eligE
bility amendments to the constitution
% the next convention, which will be
held in Philadelphia IN october, 1909
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-10-03

We hold many of the convenienOes
of life 80 cheaply that We give little
thought to what it would be to go
back to the primitive customs of our
Rorebears in their everyday life.
When we take a match and with a
single scratch strike a light we do
not put any particular value on any
thing 80 common as match. Not
even the odorless little spitfire of a
"parlor match" commands our appre-
citation to any great extent.
The fire on the hearthstones Of our
forebears was guarded with as much
Jealous care as the Vestal virgins
guarded 1t ON the ancient altar of
the temple Of Vesta. The fire was
never allowed to die out entirely on
the hearthstones In the days before
matches were invented. The red
Goals we're buried under the ashes so
that they could be uncovered and
famed into flame when more fire
was needed.
The process OF rubbing two sticks
Of wood together until they produced
q flame is a very ancient one. II 10
one Of the most primitive ways OF OBJ
tanning fire. It is said that this pro-
cess obtained In the days of ancient
Greece and Rome, when the priests
of Jupiter had to kindle a FIRE, and
all the American Indian tribes used
1t when they wanted fire. The inven-
tive mind of man began to improve
on this method long before the idea
Of such thing as a match was ever
conceived. One writer who has writ
ten exhaustively on the subject of
fire says: Labor was saved, as we'll
as greater rapidity obtained, by using
a bow, with one turn of it's string
twisted around the vertical stick,
which we may call the drill so that
by moving 1t back and forth the drill
revolved with great rapidity in the
lower piece OF wood, which is techni-
cally called the hearth A further
advance was made. Man has only
two hands, and he found that third
point of resistance would be an ad-
vantage. This he could get when he
had a companion, but not when he
was alone. So he began to use his
mouth to steady the drill, while one
hand impaired the motion with the
bow and the other held the hearth.
Hence we get the mouth drill, the ad-
ditional part of the apparatus being
mouthpiece of hard wood, bone or
stone, with hole in 1t to receive the
head of the drill. Soon 1t was discov-
cred that weight tells. and weight
was therefore added to the drill, CIV
ing greater impetus, greater speed
and greater friction and, consequent
ly, greater heat. In this way the Iro-
Quois pump drill was developed"
One of the first matches was made
by cutting very thin strips Of highly
resinous or dry pinewood, about six
inches long, with pointed ends dipped
In melted sulphur; thus prepared,
the sulphur points easily ignited
when applied to spark obtained by
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-10-03
Bandits Disarm Soldiers.

When travelling by train from
oroya to Lima, in Peru, the passen-
gers were held up at Galera, $1,000
feet up in the mountains, by fully
armed band, who took some Of the
travellers as hostages. Fifteen sol-
diers who were In the train were dis
armed, four being wounded and one
shot in cold blood because he would
not hand over his rife to the mis-
creants.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-10-03
Youna RooseveIt on Hand.

Thompsonville. Ct.-Theodore Roose-
5elt, Jr., who is to enter the employ of
he Hartford carpet company whose
mills are located here, arrived late
Wednesday. On his arrival he went to
he company's office where he was re-
.eived by Vice-Pres:lent A. d. Hig-
gins and other officers Of the company.
He will enter upon his duties as an
office clerk going into the wool depart
lent later.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-10-03
Russian Wins Honor.

This years senior wranglership"
at the University of Cambridge, Eng
land, gave great honors to young
Russian Jew. The result of the
mathematical tripos" shows that Sc
lig Brodetsky, whose father had
sought an asylum in England from
Russian oppression, had been 'brack-
eted with Mr.. Ibbotson, scholar of
Pembroke, for the coveted British
blue riband of mathematics.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-10-03
Male friendships.

Remarks have been made lately as
regards the apparent decline of close
PERSONAL friendships between men.
Perhaps something in our busy mod
ern life accounts for our lower note
in masculine friendships. Perhaps,
too, much that belonged to inter-
changes between man and man is now
possible between woman and man, as
equals.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-10-03
No Keys For BarroOms.

According to a decision by the
States attorney and the counsel to
the Police Board of Baltimore, the
hotelkeepers of that city, under the
liquor law passed by the last LegIs-
lature. will have little use for the
keys to their barrooms. They can
sell liquor at almost any time.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-10-03
Military Discipline.

From Luneville comes an account
OF dramatic frontier episode. Two
German army corps are engaged in
manoeuvres near the border, and yes
terday morning a battalion Of French
rifles, marching out from Rambler
villers, approached within fifty yards
OF the frontier and suddenly found It,
self face to face with German regi.
ment, which was drawn up at an equal
distance on the other side. The troops
stood looking at each other for mo
ment without uttering a word or civ.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-10-03
Retort Courteous.

Roger Minot Sherman, while argu-
Ing a celebrated case, said that his
opponent could no more prove his
point than he could cut a hair length
wise.
While he was still talking the oppo-
nent, who happened to have a very
sharp knife, pulled hair from his
beard and split 1t. AS he held it up
the Court began to laugh, and Mr..
Sherman quickly called out: Il said a
hair, sir, not a bristle, philadelphia
Ledger.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-10-03
MONDAY.
Sept. 2s, 1908.

mONDAIp SGpt. Eog iSOos
Roosevelt replies to Bryan, explain
ing why he opposes anti-election pub
licity in campaign funds and further
arraigning Haskell.
King of Italy consents to the duke of
the Abruzzi marrying Katherine FL
kins.
Walter White, Worcester, street car
conductor, fell from his car and was
drowned in the Sudbury river near
Concord, Mass.
Taft and Bryan In Minneapolis at the
same time, but do not meet.
Wireless stations In Philippines hear
from Atlantic feet.
Gov. Haskell declares he will "show
up President Roosevelt.
Catastrophe aVerted in New York
when 100000 Jews try to crowd on
bridge in religious ceremony
Habeas corpus for 'fhaw's appear
ance in Pittsburg court.
Woman found with throat cut in
New York
Remains of Thomas Levick, who died
on the Galapagos islands 40 years ago,
buried in Mt Auburn, Mass.
Serious condition and disease threat
ened as result of unbroken drouth in
Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia.
William A. Rugg of Springfield
Mass, arrested at the White House,
is declared insane.
Railway clerks said to be making
progress in negotiations with N. Y,
N. H. G. H.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-10-03
The World is Good.

All mortals have followed beaten
track since man was invented, long
time back and folks were laughing
or shedding tears away, away in the
vanished years. The cave men wor
ried because his club broke down
when he batted another dub; and peop.
lie flew in beastly rage, cause their
stovepipes smoked in the glacial age.
The same old sorrow you have to.
day, was old when Adam was ballng
hay: the worry that makes your bos.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-10-03
FRIDAY,

FRIDAY, Sept. rs, 1sos
Hearst continues exposures of con
nections between Standard oil and poll
ticians; Russell declares Bryan de-
stroyed unread written charges against
Haskell year ago.
Drouth In Maine broken by light
rainfall; thunder shower at Dover, N.
H.. five heat prostrations in Boston
Charles B. Davis on trial on charge
Of numbering DR.. Frederick Rustin in
Omaha, Neb.
Nine Of 21 cars competing in en-
durance run from Boston to Breton
Woods and return finash with perfect
scores
WI Ting Fang to be superseded as
Chinese minister to United States in
December; Tang shao vi ON trip
around the world.
Rev. j. M. Waldron says Roosevelt
has not succeeded in alternating negroes
from Foraker.
Washington Life passes from Nor
ton, Ryan and Whitney to Pittsburg
syndicate.
Mrs. Elsie French Vanderbilt granted
final decree of divorce.
Chairman Hitchcock claims all west
ern states but Nevada and Montana for
Taft; West Virginia factions open war
on each other again.
LaFollette indorses Taft and candi-
date given rousing reception in Wis
consin.
Two earthquake shocks off the port
of Acapulco, Mex; steamship battered
by tremendous seas.
New Hampshire Democrats expect to
nominate Judge George H. Bingham of
Manchester for governor at today's
convention in Concord.
Chief Constructor Capps on way
from Washington to attempt rescue of
cruiser Yankee
Paper mill employees accept reduction
of percent in wages.
Two hurt when auto turns turtle at
Manchester, Mass
First Livingston medal for bravery
awarded at Gloucester, Mass.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-10-03

French scientists are studying q
peculiar movement Of the sands along
the northern coasts of France, Bel.
gium and Holland. A fine sand orig
mating on the coast of Normandy has
been found az far away 40 Denmark.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-10-03
SATURDAY,
September 2s, 1908.

SATURDAY, September &c, 1908
Governor Haskell resigns as treas
urer of Democratic national commit.
tee.
General T. C. Du Pont resigns as
head of speakers bureau and from ex-
ecutive committee of Republican ma
tional organization.
Foraker replies to Hearst and
Roosevelt in carefully prepared state,
ment.
Two lives lost and nine persons in
jured as the result of fire in the fac.
tory of the Ideal comb company in
Cambridge, Mass.
Fifth MASSACHUSETTS, regiment team
breaks records at Bay State range,
doing some extraordinary shooting.
Head-on collision of trains at Liv.
ingston, Mont; 19 killed, many in
jured.
President Gompers testifies he was
asked to sign confession disavowing
his allegiance to labor; refuses to
answer a question as "impertinent /"
Bryan speaks three times In Indi-
ana.
Rioting resumed on Azores growing
out of plague.
Defence of Boston harbor forts from
land attack planned.
New Hampshire Democrats name
Judge George H, Bingham for COVER
nor.
Taft warmly received in Iowa,
where he makes 1S speeches.
President declares Taft will carry
more states than he did in 1904.
Philadelphia boy of Is kills himself
because forbidden to visit home of
his sweetheart.
Jewish new year celebrated In tenn
pies and synagogues.
Bryan leaves Minneapolis on last
round of present speaking tour
Treasurer Augustus of st. MichaePs
benef1cent society at Fall River, Mass,
accused of taking $1,000
Executor of Grover Cleveland es-
tate denies genuineness of postum
nous political article by ex-president.
Foraker won't reply 10 Taft's latest
statement; says candidate better at
tend to Bryan.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-10-03

There is a lot of poverty on Man
haitian Island, but the assessment
rolls give $4,000 in taxable property
to each inhabitant.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-10-03
TAFT AT LINCOLN
InVadeS the Home Of Opponent
for lhe Presidency

The Republican Nominee Is Warmly
Welcomed by the Citizens, the
Crowd to See and Hear Him Being
the Largest Since That Which Had
Come to the Bryan Notification
Speech.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-10-03

ing vent to an explanation, and then
their respective commanders simulta-
neously ordered them to face round,
and they were soon at prudent dis
tance from each other. A fine illus
tration of military discipline was CIV
en- on both sides, as a cry might have
been the signal for serious trouble
Paris Letter to the London Telegraph
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-10-03

ON dark, was old when Noah was in
the ark. The grim foreboding that
makes you pale, was old when Jonah
was in the whale There is nothing
new in this world, so wide, SO do not
worry. but let things slide. Your
hopes and doubts, your dreams and
fears. are but the dust of a million
ars.-Emporia Gazette.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-10-03
wrsek Costs t4o Lives.

Smyrna.-A Turkish steamship ran
Town the steam ferryboat Stambul out
side the harbor Sept. S0 One hundred
md forty persons were drowned.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-10-03

Important topics 10 De conslueTeO
by more than 100000 bankers in con
vention this week at Denver.
TUESDAY, Sept. 20, 1908
Drouth that had become genera
over country broken by rains at many
points.
Southeast gale drives heavy seai
against U. S. cruiser Yankee aground
on Spindle rock In Buzzard's bay.
Two German balloonists have close
call, their gasbag exploding more
than mile in air.
Taft given royal reception in NORTH
Dakota.
Sherman begins speaking tour with
address at Chicago.
Commissioner Pierre Jay addresses
bankers at Denver on investment O.
savings deposits.
w. l.. Douglas company Of Brock
ton, Mass, has bought controlling in
terest in plant at Nashua, N. H.
Carmelite nuns go from Boston tc
San Francisco.
N. Y, N. H. & H. r. r. annual re
port shows deficit of $2,50O,0O0 after
dividends.
Gasoline sloop burns of Rockport
Mass, two occupants saving them
selves in tender.
tuberculosis congress opened IL
Washington.
Bryan to answer Roosevelt in state
ment soon.
Enthusiasm expected for Vahey fol
governor Of Massachusetts,.
Edgar P. Dexter of East Boston
killed by the. collapse of two floors
of fish house.
Alibi is defence of Davis, charged
with Rustin murder at Omaha. Neb.;
evidence all in.
A. o. Brown & Co. borrowed secur
tiles to obtain certification at bank
manager testiffes.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-10-03

Kangaroos are still plentiful in some
parts of Australia. One flock owner
boasts of having killed several thous-
and in eighteen months.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-10-03

Germany's population increases at
the rate Of about 100000 year. the
result of excess of births over deaths.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-10-03

The most exquisite laces are copied
in paper and worn by French actress
%.