davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Douglas Island news., 1909-02-03
The NOrthIand The Latest News, from Reliable Sources, Concerning the Great
 North, Condensed,
Information for Everybody.

Alaska Day-why didn't they call it Valdez Day?
 Ludvik Rahnasto was drowned in the bay near Cordova last month.
 Henry Dorn, a well-known operator of Solomon, was found frozen to death in his cabin.
 The Valdez Prospector says that Judge Reid can be trusted to keep the flies off his enemies in the future.
 A Sound paper in speaking of ship sailing for Alaska said that she had a general cargo of horses and passengers.
 The old Wild Goose pipe line over the Dex CT divide, near Nome, is being removed. Ditch building has displaced its use.
 The Hubbard Elliott wharf at Drier bay recently collapsed, precipitating a quantity of coal and merchandise into the bay.
 A complication has arisen in wireless telegraphy; the stations along the coast of Alaska froze up during the month of January.
 The senate has passed a bill provid ing for the appropriation of S5O,OO0 for the establishment of two fish hatcheries on Puget sound.
 When the steamer Dora was exam ined in drydock it was found that her seams had opened while the ship was lsboring in heavy sea.
 According to the Valdez Prospector, 300 men will be employed on the gov ernment road between that place and the Tonsina next summer.
 The fishing and fur industries of Alaska have produced twenty-five times as much as was originally paid to Russia for the entire territory.
 Capt. Norman Nicolson, for years an officer and master on vessels of the Pa cifc Coast Steamship Co.,, died at Tucson, Arizona, on Jan. 2, of tuber- culosis.
 Alaska is second in gold production for 1908 with S2O,93O,784. Colorado leads with s22,S11,784. The total pro- duction of the United States was s96,- 3l3,9OO.
 There are as many churches in Alaska according to population, as in any sec- tion of the United States, says an ex- change. But in most cases there is very little doing.
 The Skagway Alaskan informed it's readers one day last week that there might be no issue of the paper the next day, as the editor and business man. ager had been invited to an EIks' social that night.
Douglas Island news., 1909-02-03
The proprietor of a Dawson hotel was

The proprietor of a Dawson hotel was brought up before the judge for cheat ing at cards in game played on Chris mas eve. The evidence revealed the fact that the game was interrupted at 12 o'clock by the arrival of the time for the midnight mass. "Splendid addi tion to the church--a great way to spend Christmas" said the judge. The court held that a gam bling debt could not be collected in that manner, even if the gamesters were churchgoers.
 The Seattle P.-I. prints an illustration of what is perhaps the largest Hume in the West, being at one place forty feet iu width and ten feet in depth. It was constructed oy the Porcupine Gold Co. on it's properties on Porcupine creek, a tributary of the Klihina, which in turn flows into the Chilkat river. The com pauy found it necessary to turn the en. tire stream in order to work the creek bed, which carries values estimated at S7 a cubic yard. At the intake of the Hume it is designed to carry six times the water which generally flows in the creek in order that no freshet will undo the work which has cost so much to open up the ground SO it can be worked. The Hume is one mile in leugth. Having grade of thirty feet to the mile, the Hume, after a quarter of mile, is gradually reduced iu size so that at the lower end it is but thirty feet in width and six feet in depth. The ground owned by the company is considered to be rich. It was first worked by Jack Dalton and John Ma lony in 1898, who, after sinking S200,000 in opening up the ground, lost all when treshet not only carried away their fumes, but filled the cut which it had cost them so much to open up.
 A huge puff of smoke, through which shot stumps and massive rocks that were carried for hundreds of yards into the harbor, trembling the earth simi- lar to slight shock of earthquake with a dull muffled roar, and 10000 yards of rock in the bluff south of the wharf was either hurled into the water, or broken up so fine by the force ot the explosion that steam shoVels will be able to handle tt without the slightest difficulty. The scene was witnessed by the residents of Prince Rupert from the surrounding hilltops, and as the shot is the most successful one put off so far, the contractors are jubilant. For some weeks gangs of men have been drilling coyote tunnels under this bluff, the waters edge and on grade levels. Three of these tunnels which averaged D feet in length, and are located 100 feet apart, were then cross-sectioned at the end and half way by tunnels thirty feet in length, form ing huge pockets into which was care- fully packed twelve tons or the con- tents of LOCO 25-pound cans of black powder. The magazines were con- nected by wires with galvauic battery on the wharf, from where the shots were fired after the tunnels had been
 filled up with loose rocks and her medically sealed to prevent them from blowing out.
Douglas Island news., 1909-02-03

The Bonanza mine, to which a rail road is building from Cordo7a, was discovered and located in August, 1900, by c. l.. Warner aud Jack Smith.
 When the Pennsylvania sails from Seattle on February 8, she will have the first consignment of horses and supplies for the extension of the Cop per River railroad.
 It is reported in Valdez that the re- ceivers of the Alaska Central railroad have been informed that the money has been accepted and patent granted by the government for the Matanuska coal lands.
 Cornelius D. McGillicuddy, of Aber- deen, Wash, has been appointed dep- uty marshal for Alaska with headquar- ters at Fort Gibbon. He is but p years of age and will be the youngest mar shal in the United States service.
 Nome is having it's usual winter eX- citement over mad dogs. A number of children have been badly bitten, and the inhabitants are carrying guns. The dogs become raveuous from starvation and thirst and are really dangerous. 
 Report has it that there is still some coal in the bunkers of the steamer Saratoga, wrecked last spring in Prince William sound, and when local steam CTS need a supply of fuel they go along side of the wreck and fill their bunkers.
 Walter E. Clark, special Washington correspondent for the Seattle Post-In- telligencer, named the delegation ot Juneauites that is fighting the confirm ation of Judge Gunnison. He says they are John Vim and c. M. Sum- mers.
 A Panama couple eloped on Christ mas night, but were overtaken by Jack Frost and it is said that the lady froze her legs and, the gentleman had his fingers nipped, which led the Hot Springs Post to remark that the course of true love is still an uneven one.
 A native imprisoned in the federal jail at Nome for selling whisky to the Eskimos wac found to have symptoms of smallpox, which afterwards developed into a case of genuine VariolOid- A strict quarantine was maintained Un- til all danger of contagion was past
 The Nome Shook Mining company is prosecuting it's title to the mineral ground comprising the patented town site of Nome and is drilling holes with Keystone drills, on vacant lots all over the city. This is accomplished without protests from the city dads or the prop erty owners.
 Frobeze & Go. are prospecting with a  new device called an air lift, with which they propose to suck up the dirt from the bottom of the sea. Snake river has been perforated in several places, and solid ice is awaited for further opera tions on Boring sea, fronting the rich spots on the old Nome beach.
 Because of the difficulty experienced in securing needed sundries from the mercantile establishments at Sitka, an order has been issued permitting mem- bers of marine corps stationed there to secure credit at the post exchange to the extent of two-thirds of their monthly pay, instead of oue-third as at present.
Douglas Island news., 1909-02-03
blowing out

~sITKA HOT SPRINGS" Accom- modations, American or European plan. For terms apply to Doctors Goddard and Brooks, Sanitariam, Alaska
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-03-26

NilAAG NHAild WdS HoL kluudpeu by the Black Hand at any rate. He was carried off by abductors to the manner born.
 E. H. Hartman has cut down his diet to one railroad a month. He is adopting the quiet and simple life. Baseball players and battleships dread the day when they must take places in the minor leagues.
 
 The white Killarney is declared to be the handsomest rose of 1909 It is as fragrant as 1t is beautiful. The taxicab is after all an automo- bile, and it does not hesitate to run over the innocent pedestrian.
  Tariff literature is coming in allo- pathic lots, but no one is compelled to read and inwardly digest it. !.
  Take off the storm door and hang at once the screen door. for spring has come ana so have the flies.
  No more ambassadors until fall. This gives time in which to make and smash great many slates.
 
 The iniquities and hidden franchises of the Payne bill are simply too nu- merous to mention. Theodorus Africanus is the last of a line of great African explorers. Scipio started the club.
 Uncle Joe handed over the 30 pieces of silver promptly to the democratic bolters.
 Zeppelin's big gasbag carried 26 men 150 miles, but it remained a gasbag still.
 White rhinoeeroses are rarely seen near local option towns in Africa.
  Peace in England and Germany is maintained at great expense. No best sellers ever get within sight of the Eliot fye-foot shelf.
  The tariff on stockings includes. alas, socks also:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-03-26
Industrial Home for Girls

What is being done for wayward boys in the state industrial school at East Lake should be done for depend ent and wayward girls between the ages of 13 and 20, and the movement of that nature inaugurated by the board of managers of the Mercy Home calls for and certainly deserves the support of every good citizen in this district. The county has donated five acres of the almshouse property for this purpose, and the finance commit tee named by the managers of the Mercy Home are now endeavoring to secure S50, 1000 with which to erect the needful buildings on the modern cot tage plan. In the proposed home girls will be taught in the branches of d public school education and at the same time they will acquire skill in some industry that will render them self-supporting.
 The need of such an institution in this populous county need not be urged. Every obseryant person knows it would save many valuable lives to society. Once render a girl self-sus- taining and she is as rule placed beyond temptation. This great valley should aid the ladies of the Mercy Home to build this school, for no other institution is so much needed in this valley as it is. No other institution could do so much good. The lives of de- pendent young girls call aloud for it, and they should not call in vain. The ladies of the Mercy Home have studied the situation, and they ask for help in the building of an institution that will in time be an honor to this district and to the people of the entire state.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-03-26
SUBSCRIBE FOR SHOCK.

From the Chicago Record Herald
 Out of a total of about 165,OO0 employees of the United States Steel corporation. 19,192 availed themselves of the opportun- ity to subscribe for stock under the offer made by the management in January The offering was 1sOOO shares of pre- ferred stock at s11O share and 15,O0O shares of common at $50 share Sub seriptions aggregated about 23 per cent more than the amount offered All the preferred stock offered and 15,3lS shares of the common were allotted, subscribers for Sl1O par value or less being given the full amounts subscribed and the rest be- ing reduced pro rata. At the end of the preceding year 2296o employees of the cor poration had purchased its preferred stock.
 The preferred stock is now fractionally higher than the price at which the em- ployes were allowed to subscribe for it this year, but the common is S5 a share lower The employees who have been in this cooperative plan from the beginning have made a large percentage of profit.
 The earning power of the corporation has been increased vastly since it's forma- tion by expenditures out of earnings for new plants. Since April, 1901, the date of organization, the corporation has expend- ed $255, 497,9S7 for additional property and in new construction. It has spent s14,13l,- 1855 for bonds and mortgages discharged, exclusive of those redeemed by cash in the sinking fund, the amount redeemed by this fund being $40.192, 2S4. In addi- tion purchase money obligations amount ing to s54,s51.349 have been paid off. mak- ing total of sS9,174,S12 expended in the retirement of obligations From this amount is deducted s3,303, ,793 of securities included in the total, and which were originally issued after the formation of the company for additional properties and for construction.
 This leaves the balance of obligations retired ss5,S71, ,019 and the total expendi- lures on capital account since organization s341 1869, ,006 Of this total of payments $S9, ,172,S ,S63 was financed by the issue and sale of new securities, leaving the net bal ance of capital expenditures out of earn ings $302 196,143. This is about 60 per cent of the par value of the corporations cap- ital stock and considerably more than the present market price of the issue.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-03-26
Anthracite Miners Will Not S.rike

The good sense of the miners in the hard coal district of Pennsylvania has averted a strike, although the miners and operators are still far apart. Ne gotiations between the two are pro- gressing, but it will not be possible to reach a conclusion by April 1, when the agreement of 1906 will expire. The miners have, however, decided to re- main at work after April 1 on the terms and conditions of the agreement of 1906.
 This no doubt will be acceptable to the operators, for it practically re- moves the possibility of a strike. Tn effect it Is an indefinite extension of the agreement of 1906 This result will be sensibly felt in all parts of the country. A strike in the hard coal dis trict, lying near our largest cities, SUD- plying as it does about 60,000, 900 tons annually, Is always severely felt in the east, and the eastern effects are In our complex financial and commercial sys- tenn imparted in lesser degree to other parts of the country. Fortunately, a hard coal strike Is not to occur this year, and this may mean that the labor unions do not think this a good year in which to begin strike. The coun- try at present is at any rate very free from them.
 The anthracite miners ask for an in- crease of 10 per cent in all wages be- low $1.50 day, and of per cent in all above that sum. They also want an eight-hour day, but above all else they want recognition of the organization by the operators. All these demands are to be held in abeyance, and work is to go on after April as 1t has ever since 1906.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-03-26
Condition of Alabama Treasury

Through the decrease of $500 ,0O0 in liquor licenses and through the ex- pensive measures of the present ad- ministration, the state treasury holds about $750,000 less than it did one year ago. In other words, disburse- ments have outrun receipts in a year to date that much. An equal deficit in year to come would indeed put the state treasury "on the ragged edge"
 Under Governor Jelks there was an increasing surplus; under Governor Conner the shoe Is on the other foot. but the trouble may not become at all serious. Delay in financing a state is unavoidable, because a considerable space of time necessarily intervenes between revenue legislation and the collection of the money, but when the people see that provision has been made for additional revenue they will be content, and the states excellent credit will take nQ harm. !.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-03-26
"REcALL" IN LOS ANGELES.
How the City Was Saved From Grasp
 of Machine Politicians.

From the Chicago Record-Herald.
 The recall has been part of the law or Los Angeles for six years and has been used in but two cases, that of Mayor Harper being the second. From the record it would appear that there is little dan ger of it being grossly abused or suc- cessfully resorted to for trivial causes. That it may be of great benefit indirect ly is shown by the fact that when the council voted to give away river ped franchise the threat of a recall from the municipal league caused the former body to reverse its action and so saved the city a million dollars worth of prop erty.
 The league has proven in the Harper case that action was taken only after a most thorough inquiry and careful con- sideration. It was urged against Harper that he had made notoriously bad ap- pointments to the police commission and to the board of public works. The board has control of the Owens river aqueduct project which involves an expenditure of $25 0O0,0 600 by the city, and 1t was felt that if by any chance Harper should be able to turn it over entirely to his political henchmen the city might suffer seriously. Harper himself and members of his police commission were interested in sugar and oil stock, and it was charged that shares of their companies to the value of more than $20O 900 were sold at par to/saloon- keepers, brewery owners who control sa- looms, keepers of combination saloons and assignation houses and exploiters of pros kL1 nA ha ralf were responsible for the regulation of the saloons and the enforcement of the law against vicious resorts, 1t was be- lieved with good reason that this con- dtion of affairs justified Harper's re- moval from office "by any available pro- cess"
 We make this summary from a state ment issued by the league, which goes on to show, by reference to various con- ferences and meetings. that in its work for the recall of the mayor nothing was done hastily or recklessly. He was forced upon sufficient grounds to make fight for the retention of his office, and, though he had strong political backing he was not able to hold on until election day. Certain of his supporters distrusted him |, to such an extent that they exacted pledge from him that he would withdraw when they said the word, and when It appeared that stories were to be pup lished which would show that his personal conduct was disgraceful and his associa- tions vile the word came. He withdrew and at the same time begged for mercy from those who had opposed him,
 The recall seems to be pretty thorough lv sustained by this review, even though the original charges were not brought to test at the election. For it Is clear that 1t enabled the city to get rid of an unfts man and that after his experience the officials of Los Angeles will keep the recall steadily in mind, to the distinct advantaKe Of the city.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-03-26
TIM woopRuFF's VESTS.
A Tale That Is Told of a Dressing
 Gown.
From the Washington Herald.

From the Washington Herald,
 ordinarily. they talk about Tim Wood ruffs vests said P. K Quinn of Brook lyn. N. Y. at the Raleigh yesterday. Lately. however, another tale about the New York politician has been going the rounds.
 Have you' heard it? No? We'll then, according to this. MT. Woodruff was pre- sented by a grateful admirer with hand some silk dressing gown. It was hand tiful thing. and MT. Woodruff displayed himself in il to the family circle. only to find that 1t was about four inches too long.
 @sIll send it my tailor and have him cut it down., said MT Woodruff.
 Several days later, as he was enjoying his after-dinner cigar. the boy from the tailor's arrived.
 "'Here's your smoking jacket, sir said the kid.
 .tMr Woodruff. breathing anticipatory admiration. tried the garment on.
 :" Not mine, said he. haven't any smoking jacket like that
 sThe boy insisted. Mir Woodruff laid the garment on the table while he argued with the boy. Mrs. Woodruff came ffl
 What are you doing with your dress ing gown now, Tim? she asked. Did you notice that I cut in down four inches?'
 Before Mir. Woodruff could answer. an aunt. who was stopping at the Woodruff household. entered. At once she beamed.
 "'Yes; I cut it down for you for a little surprise said she. T heard you say it was too long.
 MT. Woodruff began to gasp. The trusted maid of the Woodruff menage en- tered.
 Och, there you have the dressing gown. she exclaimed. I cut it down for you. but before I bashted it up some wan took 1t away from me room.'
 "The tailors boy, standing stolidly by, said:
 !, The bill for cutting four inches off the bottom of the smoking jacket is 50 cents
 Breathing heavily Mir. Woodruff said: Put some pockets in 1t, and I'll wear it as vest. D
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-03-26
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
Baggage Transfer System.

Birmingham will soon have a system or baggage transfer and cab service which will compare favorably with New York or Chicago said a business man last night.
 speak advsedlv. having learned something of the purposes of the Birming- ham Transfer-Tranic company. S. A Cameron, formerly auditor of the Bir- minsham Terminal company and a man Of marked executive ability. has assumed the general management of the company and has been given a free hand by the officers and directors in carrying out the liberal and progressive plan of operation which has received their approval. These increased facilities will add to the pres tige of Birmingham with the travelling public, and to the comfort and conven- fence of it's. own citizens It is a step forward for the citv.s
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-03-26

will begin to inquire if the prices Of food, clothing and other necessaries Of life have been cut down by the tariff revision. To the average man the cost of living is the test of all tariff revi- sion, and whA he finds that the arti- cles he needs have not been reduced in price. he will be very apt to strike back through the ballot box. The bal lot box is the ultimate consumers only opportunity to get even with those who have increased the cost of living by levyfng unjust duties.
 The purchasing power of salaries has been reduced by the Dingley bill, and if it is still further reduced by the Payne bill the ultimate consumer, who is generally a wage-earner, will ask pointed questions of nominees when a new Congress is elected next year, for he will then know how far he has been flimflammed. He will know just what effect the Payne bill has had on the cost of living, and he will vote up to his knowledge and the state of his pocketbook It is not possible to fool all the people all the time, and many a Congressman who supported the Payne bill will be disillusionized in the fail season of next year.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-03-26
CIGARS IN GLASS BOXES.

From Tit-Bits.
 q don't believe it will be long before the cedar-wood cigar box is thing of the past" said West End tobacconist, as he pulled the nails out of a box "Sev- eral big cedar manufacturing concerns have been experimenting with glass jars as a substitute. and they are proving great success. Of course, they are heavier than the wooden box, and there is slight percentage of breakage, but in the end they are cheaper, for the price of the wooden boxes is going up all the time. The package is attractive. and the cigars packed in the jars will not dry out so rapidly.
 Fifty cigars are packed in the jars, which have light, nickeled screw top. The best part is that the smokers wives can put them in good use after the cigars are removed. They can be used in the house for thousand different things. But a wooden cigar box isn't of much use for anything after 1t has served its first purpose. You could break, shatter or do most anything with it, but the scent of the tobacco always clings to it."