davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1909-06-05

had a score of them, and he has al
most as many superb stables as the
emperor of Germany, his host, has
castles.
In his enthusiasm for blooded
horse flesh he has. invested more than
a half million dollars in stables. He
has two in New York city, one in
Madison avenue for his high steppers;
another near Fort Tyron for his trot-
ters. The latter is one of the largest
and finest appointed stables of it's
kind in the country.
In Chicago Mr.. Billings has a fine
stable in the rear of his Washington
Boulevard residence. He built anoth-
er a few years ago on the trotting
track at Memphis, and also put $10,-
200 in private stable for his horses
at the Cleveland track. He has a
farm for his horses at Stevens Point,
Wis, and residence stable at
Colorado Springs, where often his
horses than Mr.. Billings has dis
Not often has there been a more
genuine and unselfsh enthusiasm for
horses than Mr.. Billings has dis
played.
Stirred by Friendly Rivalry.
It is said that his love for the game
| was first stirred by a friendly rivalry
| with another millionaire, E. E. Smath-
ers.
At first Mr.. Smathers had the bet
ter of this contention. For several
years Lord Derby beat the best
horses that Billings could obtain, the
most notable being The Monk. At one
| time in fact Mr.. Smathers held 90
per cent of the important harness
horses.
But when in the winter of 1902 Mr..
Billings bought for $12,50O the prom
Using flly, Lou Dillon, he paved the
way to his most notable triumph over
his rival.
It is characteristic of Mr.. Billings
liberality in his devotion to his fad
that he declined to race Lou Dillon
on the grand circuit when he became
confident that she was the best horse
The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1909-06-05

neighbour but this procedure had in
creased in peril, and was the signal
for all kinds of excitement in Europe,
and moreover, even though he did
this, he would have to give SO liberal
share to the official above him that
little would remain for himself.
The officers were no better off. Gal
liant old heroes of the Russo-Turkish
war often were known to pawn med
ais won in that conflict in order to get
food for the children and wives.
Morale Of Army Affected.
The morale of the army was clev-
erlv affected in this way by the I'M
ceasing efforts of the Young Turks,
, and their work was so quietly done
that none knew the state of mind of
the soldiers till the test came, and
they failed the tyrant when most he
needed them.
In their battle to dethrone des-
potism the worst foe the Young Turk
had to deal with was the system of
espionage which covered the whole
country with the spies of the sultan.
FOT q ulSiSSpSCClul WOlu dSoiAAoI IAS
monarch it's author was likely to be
exiled, his property confiscated, or if
Abdul felt in sanguinary mood, his
life might pay the forfeit.
For this reason the Young Turk
| avoided having recognized leader,
for he soon would have paid the price
with his life. Every Turk belonging
to tie order took oath on the Koran.
There were taxes on the members to
raise needed funds to carry on the
| work, the families of those who died
! in the fight were cared for by the Or
! ganization, and penalties were i'm
| posed On the recreant.
It was most amazing instance of
working in the dark, of fighting craft
with craft, and it's success has shown
| most impressively what can be done
in this line.
The example of Turkey has not
been lost on the discontinued of Per-
STA. Here for a long while has been
existing condition somewhat similar
| to that of Turkey.
The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1909-06-05
FORESHADOWS FINAL
DOOM OF AUTOCRACY
Suan's Downfall Carries Advance of Liberal Govern-
n1ent Into Final Citadels of Tyrants.

The forces that brought about the
downfall of tn esultan spoke of as
the Young Turks" were at the start
only a handful of the population of
the country. In fact, the Turks them
selves only stand in the proportion of
about one to four of the entire popula-
ton.
Young Turks Students.
The Young Turks were mostly stu
dents, and it is an eternal credit to
the liberal governments of Europe
and to the republic of the new world
that they gained their ideas of a
freer and better form of government
through association with Europeans,
especially Englishmen and Americans.
These students worked quietly and
skillfully. To their side their enthu-
siasm drew as many as were open
minded. The radical sultan worship
ers they made no attempt to win over.
Recognizing from the first that the
basis of the power of the autocrat
rested on his control of the army they
cleverly, yet legitimately; using no ar
the seeds Of discomfort among the
soldiers
They showed that the rulers of 9TH
er nations had some consideration for
the military. That the soldier got
fair, wages, and when he retired was
able to go home with his family and
live in comparative comfort This
was new thought for the soldier of
the sultan, who did not know what
the word pay meant, was kept in the
service till he was useless for any
thing else, and when finally he was
sent off he returned penniless to find
his parents farm hopeless1y run down
in the interim and himself forced to
work in the field with the most primi-
tive instruments to make the barest
kind of living.
He could, of course, conflscate the
property of his Christian Or Jewish
The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1909-06-05
Shah Also Absolute.

The shah stands in the same rela::
ton to Persia as the sultan does to
Turkey. There is no law to limit his
power. His spies overrun the coun.
try, he possesses absolute authority
over the lives and property of his sub.
jects. With a wave of the hand he
can take any life in the realm, with.
out exciting even a protest, that prop
erty he covets for his extravagances
is his merely by expressing the word.
But, worse still, this same absolute
power has been delegated to the depu-
ties of the shah, the governors and
officers of the provinces and the dis
tricts. Oppression of the working
classes under such form of govern
ment is inevitable, for there is vir-
tually no punishment for the greedy
or tyranical governor who seeks to
grow rich on the sunerings OF. those
beneath him. Nominal1y the acts Of
these officials is subject to. revision,
but as long as they make proper
tionate return of their stealings to the
throne, they are immune from justice.
The grand vizier used to be the
shah's chief of staff in conducting the
affairs of state, but signs of unrest in
The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1909-06-05

thousands of years to learn. Their
governments were old when the most
venerable Of modern nations were in
sWaddling clothes. An antedated idea
of government held progress in check,
made the people little better than
serfs, stifed progress and opened the
way for untold crime and brutality.
Still loyal to the old idea they sub
m1tted. The sultan, the shah, the
khedive were ancient titles so awe
some that even to think Of revolt was
to commit a frightful crime not only
against the ruler of the nation, but
against the gods of their faith.
The other nations of the world, ex-
cepting possibly China, know no
parallel for the reverence in which
the sultan and the shah were held
by their peoples.
Bound by Superstition.
A Turkish father would have stood
by and watched soldiers strike down
his wife and children without daring
even a. word of protest if he thought
the order came from the sultan. Su-
perstition had so deeply bound their
worship with the person of the ruler
of the country that he really became
one of the gods
The foxy old sultan, Abdul, who
thought he might represent an an
cient ideal, was very modern in his
diplomacy and politics, knew this feel
ing, and constantly traded on it for
his safety when extreme outrages had
from time to time put his throne and
his person in danger He never be-
lieved that a time would come when
popular reverence for him could brook
any violence to his person.
Europe has thought the same. Those
statesmen who, to their eternal dis
credit, were several times RESPONSE
bic for keeping the other nations of
the world from interfering to prevent
the slaughter Of the helpless, never
entertained a serious thought that the
revolt which should end the career of
the most ferocious Of surviving rulers
would come from the people of his
own country.
The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1909-06-05
LOU DlLLON WILL GIVE
SPEED TRIAL I'M BERLIN
Greatest OF the American Trotters Show Off Before
Kaiser William of Germany

Before the royal eyes of the EN-.
peror of Germany and the crown
prince the greatest of American
horses is to show her speed.
At the express request of the EN-.
peror, Lou Dillon, queen of trotters,
will give a special exhibition in Der.
lin June IS, with her noted owner,
c. K. Billings, holding the reins.
The kaiser has l8g been anxious
to- see the noted H:kr, who was the
first horse to get the coveted two min
ute mark for trotters.
Lou Dillon will not enter in anv
races, but will make a trial against
time in order to etshis majesty and
German experts study her stride and
form. Whatever money accrues from
the exhibition Mr.. Billings will hand
over to Berlin charities, as his only
motive is to let the old world see the
kind of trotter that Uncle Sam can
produce. IT, PEE
- The occasion for Lou billions an.
pearance is the opening or the superb
new racing stadium at Ruheleben
near Berlin.
In a desire to give ian international
flavor to the affair, noted horsemen
of the nations were invited to. send
their best flyers to the capital. Train.
er Tanner, who has charge of the Bill
ings horses, is now IN Berlin with a
string Of nine good ones, and Mr.. Bill.
ings himself is due I'd arrive in Berlin
about the first Of June.
Warm Welcome Assured.
He is assured Of a warm welcome
in the German capital and the appear.
ance of Lou Dillon in action is GER
tain to be the sensational feature OF
the opening of the new track, for pub.
lie interest is keen to see the much
discussed mare.
L And Mr.. Billings can drive her, too
His fame as a horseman is by no
means confined to the possession of
this one notable champion. He has
The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1909-06-05

of the year, and could clean up nearly
all the big purses.
She had shown an ability to trot a
2:06 gait, which would probably have
been fast enough to carry her to tri-
umph in most Of the events, valued
at $4,000, for which she was CON
tracted
But Mr.. Billings had a greater
thought for the beautiful trotter. He
saw in her the chance to bring out
the dream all horsemen had been
cherishing since the days of Gold
smiths Maid, two minute trotter.
He Cancelled all her grand circuit
engagements, and directed every eff
fort for an attempt to develop her
speed to the making of new worlds
record.
Had she fallen into other hands,
and gone down the line for strenu-
GUS season, competing on the grand
circuit, is is questionable if Lou Dill
lon would ever have been known as
the champion.
Lou Is Affectionate.
Millard Sanders, who developed
on Dillon and drove her when, for the
first time, she reached the two-minute
mark, says that at the beginning she
was double gated, and gave little
promise of becoming a world beater
She is a chestnut mare, with a left
white hind foot, a star and a small
snip. She stands 15.1 in height, and
in racing conditions weighs in the
neighborhood Of 804 pounds. She was
broken as a two-year-old, and trained
to some extent as a three-year-old.
When Lou went into the hands of
Mr.. Sanders in 1902 she was hardly
four years old, and had hardly done
any work before she became sick, and
SO serious was the illness that she
almost died. Delicate, nervous, but
very affectionate, she presented a
most difficult proposition to the train
er, and while he already saw her ex-
The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1909-06-05
First Fare on the Comet.

DR.. John Inglis remembers a con-
versation with an old gentleman who
claimed to have been the first to pay
passage money on board the first pas
senger steamer in Europe-the his
toric Comet. The voyage undertaken
was from the Broomielaw to Dalmuir
-fourpence now by tramway car
and the fare was four shillings! It
was taken by Henry Bell himself, the
Comet was stopped and waited for
half an hour till Bell and his passen-
ger adjourned to an inn, where the
first fare wet the toast of prosperity
to the pioneer passenger steamer.
The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1909-06-05
In Infancy Of Railroads.

The first locomotive to be placed on
American rails was the Stourbridge
Lion. It had been constructed in Eng
land and made it's initial trip on Au-
gust 8, 1929, with Horatio Allen at the
throttle. Allen was the engineer of
the Delaware and Hudson Canal Com
pany and had supervised the construc-
ton of this engine.
The track was 16 miles long and
was built Of wooden rails covered
with strap iron. When the iron straps
worked loose, as they frequently did,
they would fly up and punch holes in
the floors of the cars and sometimes
would perforate few passengers. :
The first locomotive built in this
country was completed in 1880 and
was used to transport passengers over
the Baltimore & Ohio from Baltimore
to Ellicotts Mills at rate of speed
sometimes reaching 10 miles an hour.
The name Of the engine was the Tom
Thumb, and it was designed by Peter
Cooper the philanthropist.
The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1909-06-05
Saved Lives Of PASSENGERS,

One hundred lives hung in the bal
ance for the fraction of second the
other night while Engine Driver Bald
win Of the Santa Fe railroad hesitated
as to whether he should follow his
fireman's example and jump or stick
by his engine and pilot it over the fast
settling bridge at Arroyo Seco, CAL
The arroyo was raging torrent from
the heavy storm and the water cut I'M
der the concrete piling of the bridge
and it began to sag. Then came the
train of five cars slipping down grade
from Pasadena. Engine Driver Bald
win saw the danger, but as he was
unable to stop the train before it was
on the bridge he opened the throttle
and let the engine run across. Had he
hit the bridge at high speed cars and
passengers would have gone into the
roaring water.
The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1909-06-05

ceptional speed qualities, it did not
occur to him that the mare could be
made a successor to the great Cres-
ceus. At the end of her illness Lou
got down as low in weight as 500
pounds.
But when she started to mend she
progressed rapidly, and when perfect
health had been restored the trainer
directed himself to correcting her
faults of gait.
This was done by shoeing her with
ten-ounce shoe and four-ounce toe
weight in front, but as Lou pro-
crossed in her training, Mr.. Sanders
gradually cut down the weight tip she
needed to a 4.3-4-ounce shoe in front
and a 1-2-ounce shoe in back.
Astonishing Speed.
BY steady and careful work Lou
was braught along, and in practice
she displayed such astounding bursts
of speed that public belief centered
The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1909-06-05

Autocracy's final doom is foreshad-
owed in the downfall of the sultan.
When the principle Of liberal gov
eminent is able to storm such cita-
del of absolutism as the castle of the
ruler of Turkey, one of the great ira
ditional despots of the world, there is
no autocrat who has a right to feel
ID comfortableaonsh his throne. =.
The shah of Persia, whose position
has been for centuries analogous to
that of the sultan, except that he has
not caused such rivers of blood to
flow, must in the present unsettled
condition of affairs in his own coun-
try find plenty to give him the pause
in the downfall of abdul the
Damned
1t has taken the people of the East
The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1909-06-05

on her her as the horse to get down to
TIE much much desired tWo-minute figure
Mr.. Billings steadily declined to put
the mare On exhibition for money.
At his own expense he sent her to
Cleveland, thence to Brighton and
finally to Boston
1t was at the latter place on Read
vile track, Aug. %, 1903, that she
finally performed the epoch making
feat of bringing the record down to
two minutes. She subsequently did
even better, but since this was the
first time in the history of the sport
that. the mile had been done in two
minute time, it will ever remain as
The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1909-06-05

the most notable performance to the
credit of the remarkable mare.
On that day the California bred
mare, by Sidney Dillon, Lou Milton
out of Milton Medium, before a crowd
of 5000 frenzied spectators cut 2 Ia
seconds from the worlds record held
by Cresceus. The quarters were done
in 80 IA, 80 IL, 80 IA and 20 seconds
It was the wonderful burst of speed
at the finish, the great last quarter
that brought the trial to this record
breaking finish.ss>--..,4-s- -
But sweet as was this triumph tc
Mr.. Billings, it was probably less than
the joy he got out of the race for two
minute trotters between himself and
E. E. Smathers at Memphis.
Makes TWo-Minute Record.
This was the first time in the his.
tory CT trotting that there had ever
been a two-minute class, and to the
outcome Of the contest hinged the
trotting championship of the world,
and also the premier of gentlemen
drivers, for the two owners held the
1eins themselves.
Major Delmar had been going
along in a manner similar to Lou Dill.
lon, piling up all kinds of records, and
there were many who thought he
could show clean pair of heels to
the Billings horse in a race.
But Lou Dillon was there in a race
just the same as in a time trial and
won most decisively.
The mare is in fine shape now, and
will be able to display quite a burst
of speed for the pleasure of the Ger
man monarch and his guests.
The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1909-06-05

had watched from the shelter of his
own vine the long freight trains and
the flying passenger trains crossing
the bridge. For 20 years the mid
night express woke him, and when she
rushed past his cottage he knew that
the bridge was there, and that the
train had crossed in safety.
But when the new engineer came in
with gang of workmen to replace the
old bridge with modern twin-trapped
steel structure, the old man was I'M
able to understand why they should
seek to destroy his masterpiece. At
first he refused to believe it. He re-
called that the company had hard
work raising the money to build this
bridge 20 years ago. He pointed out
to the engineer that the bridge was as
good as new, the masonry and the
material employed grew stronger and
firmer, hardened and toughened by the
touch of time
"Ah, yes" said the young engineer,
ut is indeed a splendid piece of work,
and If you could have foreseen the
vast volume Of traffic that would have
Travelled this way, if you could have
anticipated the modern mogul with it's
so loads of 60,000-pound-cars, if yos
had but dreamed of the great express
engines with their crushing hammer
blow-you might have built bridge
that would have stood for century
! instead Of &c years.
This story states in the form of fic-
ton most interesting fact-the fact
that Canada is growing, and that the
Grand Trunk railway system is keep
ing step. In the short space of sim
gle decade the line had developed
from fourth-rate, single-track rail-
road, to one of the very best double
track lines on the American continent,
with one of the longest continuous
stretches of double track under one
general manager in the world.
The officers of the line have spent
much time and some money to make
the Grand Trunk attractive to railway
employees of every class, especially to
trainmen, shopmen and those who are
not officials: They have provided night
schools in connection with the me-
chanfcal department for the benefit
of apprentices, and even scholarships
in McGill college for limited number
who show interest and enthusiasm in
their work. All this tends to the bet
terment Of the service.
The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1909-06-05

standing in the relation of premier or
secretary of state.
But this reform has been in name
only. Robberies Of the poor continue
The bastinado and death by decapita
ton, stabbing or torture continue tc
be imposed for minor offenses.
But the lesson of Turkey will proba
bly, not be lost on the shah, and that
other absolute monarch of antiquity
the khedive of Egypt, is likely to re-
! joice that lie is protected as well
curbed by the English protectorate.
The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1909-06-05
Sufficiently Done.
AS q gentleman was havin

As gentleman was having his
luncheon in the coffee room Of a Biz
mingham hotel he was much an
noyed by another visitor, who during
the whole Of the meal stood with his
back to the fire warming himself and
watching him partake Of his repast.
At length, unable to endure it any
longer, he rang the bell and said:
Waiter, kindly turn that gentleman
round: think he is done on that
side
The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1909-06-05
A New Language.

One day while George Ade was trav-
cling in the Orient he came upon a
fellow passenger in heated discussion
with an old Arab The lady, a school
teacher from Indiana, complained to
Mr.. AIDE that after studying Arabic
for years, in preparation for this trip,
she could not understand word that
the native said.
Never mind . said Ade, consoling-
". Cant you see that he hasn't
tooth in his head. He's talking
gum-Arabfc."
The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1909-06-05
Thankless Advice.

Madam" said the medical man,
gravely, you must practice filling
your lungs with deep breaths Of pure
air."
An bust the smithereens out OF
my new Directly gown" shifted the
lady. Il think see myself
And turning on her high heels she
haughtily left the apartment
The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1909-06-05
In Danger Of Discovery.

Twenty-Five years ago man named
Dooley, Col. Dooley, ran paper at
Liberty, in Montgomery county, called
The Review. The colonel was a great
wit. At one time his Office was up
stairs, and the stairway was in the
alley in tie rear. One day the
colonel got mad and moved out, and
when asked why he moved, replied
dryly: sI was afraid someone might
wander up that stairway some day
and claim my Office by right of dis
covery.''
The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1909-06-05

dian author, tells
an in t e r e S t i n g
story of the de-
struction of an old
iron bridge on the
Grand Trunk rail-
road.
After building
this bridge many
years ago, the en-
gineer in charge
of the work set
tied in a little On
tario town, whose
lower streets were
washed by the wa
tiers of thi S
stream spanned
by the bridge in
question. For 20
Years OR more he
The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1909-06-05
Mammoth West Virginia Tree Fehled.

Mammoth West Virginia Tree Fehled.
What is believed to be the largest
tree in West Virginia was poplar
felled by Everett Curtis in Raleigh
county. It's trunk was cut into five
logs each twelve feet long. The
stump measured feet across one
way and 9 feet in diameter. It is be-
lieved the age Of the tree is $50 years.
The poplar therefore was a large tree
when Columbus discovered America
and when Harold fought the battle of
Hastings it must have been a sapling
of considerable size.
The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1909-06-05
Railroad Earnings Eeil OF

Stated in brief, railroad gross earn
ings in the calendar year 1908 fell,
roughly, $325,00O,0OO below the total
Of the gross earnings for the calendar
year 1907.-Financial Chronicle.
The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1909-06-05
The Oldest American Editor.

The northeast Iowa editorial con-
vention closed at Charles City. The
occasion was graced by the presence
of A. B. F. Hildreth, the oldest liv-
ing editor in America, aged ninety
three, seventy-two years in the bust.
ness.
The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1909-06-05

the country, symptoms that are con-
stantly increasing in power, finally led
the shah to substitute a council: OF
state, modelled on somewhat European
lines, with a president of the council