davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-01
JAPAN's PROBLEM AT. HOME.

Frank d. Carpenter, who Is writing
series of travel stories for the Chi
cago Tribune, has written an article
descriptive of conditions in Japan in
which he asks If the Japanese have
not "bitten off more than they can
chew?" The war with Russia sent
big armies Of men into Manchura,
where they were fed with foreign
food. wore foreign shoes and clothes
of foreign make and acquired certain
habits, extravagant in contrast with
their simple lives, and which their
country, burdened by oppressive taxes
and unused to the Injuries of western
civilization, cannot support. They
returned bringing innovations to all
parts Of Japan and wanting more
than they ever wanted before.
Mr.. Carpenters article is of interest
ns showing the wonderful contrast be-
tween working conditions in Japan
and In this country. In the agricul-
tural districts farm hands gets from 10
to 40 cents day for ten hours work,
the women 10 and the men 20 cents.
Think of wading through the mud Of
rice field, with your dress rolled UP
to your knees, planting the rice
sprouts with your bare hands in the
. filth at 1 cent per hour" says Mr..
Carpenter, land you have an idea Of
one feature of woman's work IN
Japan
In the factories the wages are high
er, but still pitifully low. In the
clothing factories sewing machine
operatives get ~ cents per day. In
the steel mills the employees get from
80 to 60 cents per day. Bricklayers
equal to those who receive 81 or SIS a
day here are paid but As cents for
nine hours work. The best carpen-
tiers get from 40 to SO cents day.
The average wage of printers is As
cents day, coal miners get from 20
cents to Al cents. blacksmiths and
iron molders % cents.
The average Japanese. workman
lives on rice, fish, vegetables and tea.
He uses chop sticks instead of knives
and forks. His cooking stove is clay
bowl He heats his rude hut by a
zinc lined fire place sunk in the mid
die of the floor, and his bed is straw
mat on the floor. He cannot afford
to I've on higher scale with his mig
gardly wages. In contrast, the lot of
the American worker, who has COM
fort If not luxury should appeal to
even the most pessimistic soul as one
which might be much less pleasant
than 1t is.
Japan, as Mr.. Carpenters article
shows, has trouble enough at home
in trying to make the conditions of its
people more bearable without setting
out in quest for more worlds to con
quer. The cpuntrys debt is in round
numbers $1,O00,0oO,000, which is an
average of 5000 per head, Or $1,000
per family, and the people are burden
ed with staggering taxes. 1t is plain
that Japan must remain Japan tand
must continue to live the simple life,
as civilization like ours is beyond
their ability to support.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-01

avalanche might well hesitate to an
noy; also 1t Is told on the Uganda
railway that when trains have stopped
until the hippo has left the track the
animal has charged at the engine and
fought 1t, endeavoring to push it off
the rails.
Probably the hippo would hate to
nically classed with pigs by various
learned writer's, though he has many
radically different characteristics. At
any rate. the ancient Egyptians began
his humiliation by terming him the
"river swine" The Arabs treated him
very gently, naming him the water
buffalo," Hollanders know him as
the "see kuh" (sea cow, and he re-
ceived his present appellation, hip
.,opotamus, from the Greeks. So it Is
seen that, widely known for centuries
throughout the world, the hippo for
merly must have had an unusually
wide range Of existence. And that Is
true. Although now found only in Afri-
ca, he anciently roamed over England,
Italy, Palestine, etc., and his skeleton,
strangely enough, has been found side
by side with that of the reindeer in
several places in England, though no
farther north than Yorkshire.
In Uganda, along MI. Roosevelt's
route, are found the finest living speci-
mems of the hippo 'race." The many
waterways and marshes provide them
with ideal retreats and breeding and
feeding places. Hunters on finding
what looks like probable feeding
place camp near by and keep careful
watch, for in regions where shooting
has before occurred the beasts become
very wary, keeping under water, with
only their noses protruding among
lily pads or grass. In wild districts
grass and water plants principally To-
tus and poppy are their pabulum, but
where cultivation occurs they greedily
invade rice, millet, sugar and maize
fields, doing tncalculable damage not
only by deyouring, but by trampling.
An idea Of the prodigious amount Of
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-01
TURKEYS NEW SULTAN.

Reschad Effendi, who succeeds Alb.
dull Hamid as sultan of the Turkish
empire, is declared to be a nonenity
For thirty years he has been kept a
virtual prisoner by the sultan now de,
posed, seldom allowed to see strang.
ers and prevented from attending the
state entertainments. The willy Abdul
kept his younger brother in constant
fear Of death and encouraged him in
INDUCING in excuses that are said to
have Slapped his strength.
However, the change cannot but he
for the better. 1t will be all the more
to the interests of Turkey and the rest
Of the world, if the new ruler is a
nonenity, for the progressive Young
Turks will then be in position 20
outline the policies of state without
the opposition of a strong man in the
seat. Of power. .
1t may develop, though, that
Reschad Effendi has stronger quail
ties than are ascribed to him. Dur.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-01

pursuit Of the many animals generally
frequenting the hot plains and rocky
hills.
The hippopotamus is practically an
aquatic animal, though a mammal.
and Mr.. Roosevelt can leave his expe-
dition to pursue lions, elephants or
antelopes temporarily while he en-
barks on boat or canoe and voya~ yes
through the haunts of the hippo. BIT
most hippo hunting is done from shole
along the banks because of the in
creased danger resulting to the sports
men from the use of boats. Hippos
have a long list of victories over river
and lake craft of many sizes and de-
.scriptions, attacking them with feroci-
ty and effectiveness that stout timbers
have failed to withstand.
The dangerous disposition of the
East African hippos when assailed or
angercd is well Illustrated by the ac-
counts of their sensational assaults on
railway locomotives on the line ex-
tending from Mombasa to Lake Vic
tor1a Nyanza. Engineers and railroad
officials relate that hippos are stirred
to towering rage by the snorting, puff.
Ing, whistling, fire glowing engines
and that repeatedly they have come
on the tracks near the Athi river sta.
ton and charged boldly at the head.
light. Only quick work Of the en-.
gineer in stopping the train has avert.
ed serious accident, as collision with
hippo would surely result In wreck
ed cars. His weight is as great as
four tons and over his thick Skin
alone sometimes tipping the scales al
over 500 pounds when freshly remoy
ed. Sometimes about fifteen feet II
length and standing from three tt
four feet high at the shoulder 10.
course exclusive of neck, trunk ant
heaO, the hippo is an obstacle that III
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-01
NATIVES DRAGGING OUT HpPoporAmus

campaigner, wise IN the ways Of the
huntsman, actually trains himself SO
that he can remain submerged for ten
minutes. Then he rises for air under
an overhanging bank or among thick
reeds. The hippo's great specific grav-
ity enables him to run along the bot
tom Of river with amazing speed,
and the hunter must not underesti-
mate his swimming ability, really
phenomenal for SO bulky a quadru-
ped. Passengers on steamers on the
upper reaches Of the Nile state that
their craft, going 10 knots mot merely
land miles, an hour, have proved unable
to overhaul hippo and that full
steam had to be crowded on before he
was brought abreast.
His speed as a swimmer is forcible
illustration Of the hippo's monstrous
muscular energy for he must overcome
the great resistance his bulk offers to
the water. But it should not be over
ooked that in performing some of the
aquatic feats with which he is ac-
credited hippo probably had the aid of
the current. A hippo could outdis-
lance pickerel-if his course was
down the face Of Victoria falls.
One of Sir Samuel Bakers steamers
on the White Nile was charged by a
hippo that smashed the paddle wheel
and stove two yawning holes in its
bottom with the head and tusks. Sir
Samuel also tells of hippo that lifted
out of the water heavy dugout
(rnade from the trunk of tree that
was twenty-seven feet long and filled
with people. He also saw herd OF
hippos attack twenty head of cattle
swimming across the Nile and il wan.
ton righteousness drag many of them
under water, never to appear again.
On Uganda stream feeding Lake
Choga two hippos and two crocodiles
ingeniously destroyed two members Of
q hunting party encamped near by
The two men, having been shooting
along the stream, came down to 1t al
dusk to wash. They stood on the
bank aud failed to notice full grown
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-01

food hippo can eat may be had when
1t is known that his stomach is often
found to be eleven feet long when ex-
tended with food, holding five or six
bushels. No one keeps boarding houses
for hippos in the jungle.
What the hunter chiefly fears are the
huge, cavernous jaws of the hippo,
lined with ugly, enormous tusks and
sharp incisor teeth. The tusks curve
backward. With the crushing power
of the jaws are combined the legs of
monstrous weight. Any unfortunate
on whom these bone and muscle pile
drivers fairly descend will never rise
again in one piece.
When the hippo is shot in the water
care should be taken that the depth is
shallow, for his specific gravity is so
great that he Immediately sinks to the
bottom when freshly killed. After ly-
ing dead under water for about TWEEN
tyfour hours the carcass rises, owing
to gases generated in the stomach, un.
less the water is so deep that its pres
sure holds down the body.
Inexperienced white hunters some,
times lose the hippos slain in the wa.
ter because the current carries the
body downstream when it begins tc
rise. The natives, however, invariably
drive spears tied to ropes into the
monster and by tying the ropes tc
trees make certain Of securing the
carcass. However, the fact that hip
pos usually are found in quiet water
outside the current, to relieve them O.
the labor of resisting the flow, render!
this loss infrequent.
Forest venturers on whom theil
"lucky stars" have shone sometime.
find hippo in a silly predicament. HI
frequently leaves his beloved stream
to Craze on heritage in the neighborinl
regions. He finds his way back to th,
water only by the scent of his tracks
and If rain falls while on this tou
hippos tracks are obliterated, tn,
scent disappears. and he has no wa.
Of Immediately finding his way back
Now he stands comparatively helpless
against powerful rifles, as his bes
known mode of escape-slnking to tn
river bottom-is denied him. The OF
binary hippo can stay under waite
| about five minutes. but the vetera
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-01
cARRoLL's VIEW OF NEW LAWS

CARROLL'S VIEW OF NEW LAWS.
Governor Carroll believes that the
Importance of the legislation of the
recent session of the general assembly
will be better appreciated few
months from now than it is at the
present time. The governor is salts
fled with the work of the legislature
and while he believes there were i'm
portant measures that should have
been enacted into law, he calls attea-
ton to the fact that the thirty-third
general assembly passed more bills
than the thirty-second, and some CT
them, he declares, are equally as i'm
portant as any measures passed IN
recent years The governor calls par
ticular attention to the law creating
the state board of education for the
control of our state educational inssi-
tutions. This law, he says, has a great
bearing, not only upon the state uni
versity, the agricultural college and
the state teachers college, but in a
sense it affects our entire education
al system, and the success or the fail
ure of the measure is one of deep
concern"
The bills for the establishment Ct
better system of road making, for
the consolidation of various depart
ments. of the state government, and
for the revision of the school laws
and tax laws are few of those he
enumerates as among the laws yet
needed, and he believes the public
attention called to them and the
ground work done by the past session
will insure effective legislation in the
future
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-01
the VAN yLIsslNeEN CASE.

No one will feel any disposition to
sympathize with Peter Van Vlissingen,
the Chicago real estate dealer now
serving penitentiary term for selling
forged notes and mortgages aggregat-
ing millions. The trail of victims he
left in the wake Of his criminal opera
lions are more deserving of sympathy.
But If his story told on the witness
stand yesterday is substantiated the
two men who had knowledge of his
operations and yet maintained silence
through their desire to make up their
own loss by the losses of others should
be brought to trial.
The case would be practically the
same if man discovered the identity
of the burglar who had robbed his
home and then compelled the burglar
to make good the amount of the stolen
goods by burglarizing the homes OF
others.
Van Vlissingen is now a nervous
wreck, pleading for haste in the pro-
ceedings at Chicago in order that he
may be taken back to prison and hid
den from public view. The men he &C
cuses of guilty knowledge in his opera.
tons are prominent in charity organi-
cations and prominent also in the
bu1iness world. The charge they
stand accused of is no less criminal
than Van Vlissingens and the legal
machinery should be started that
would force them to prove their in
nocence or be punished for the part
they played.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-01
SNoWFLAkE- soMNER WE'D
DING AT HEDRICk

Hedrick-Snowflake F. Somner Of
Ollie and Miss Bessie Brinker of this
city were married Wednesday night at
the home Of the groom's sister In Os-
ceola. Miss Brinker Is a popular your x
school teacher and Mr.. Somner a very
prominent young barber of Ollie. A
host of friends Join in wishing them
much happiness.
Other News.
Those from distance who were call
ed to the bedside Of Chas l.. Dean
were the Messrs and Mesdames Lewis
Gehring of Ottumwa, Dave Gehring of
Ottumwa, Dave Gehring Of Fremant,
Logan Hibler of Fremont, VIM. Stew
ents of Fremont and Mrs. Lizzie Al
man of Fremont. All have returned
to their homes except Mrs Altman who
will remain for few days.
DR.. Rex Henry, VIM. Vaughn, S.
Smith returned from Des Moines on
Mr.. Dean to the hospital VIM. Stew
ems, brother-in-law Of Mr.. Dean will
remain with him.
c. w. Mills of Richland was in town
Monday.
Miss Sadie FIeener Of Ottumwa is
the guest of relatives and friends In
Hedrick.
Miss Ethel Brolliar of Ollie was in
the cisy between trains Tuesday.
Mrs. Blanche Cook and son Robert
and Mrs. Elmer Johnston Of Richland
were in the city Tuesday enroute to
Sigourney to attend court.
Over one hundred tickets were sold
to parties attending the celebration of
the 90th anniversary Of the 1. o. o. +.
lodge held at Sigourney Monday. A
special coach came from the two
towns east over the Iowa Central and
were transferred to the c. M. & St
P. here.
3. c. Andrews was Hedrick visit
or Tuesday.
DR.. Leslie Lamb of this city has
purchased the pratice and property of
DR.. Chas. McKinnis Of Ollie and will
take possession in July.
Mrs. Tom Kirkpatrick and son re-
turned from Sigourney Wednesday.
Guy Grover Of Richland was in town
Tuesday.
Frank McCov is on the sick list this
week
Miss Bessie Capps Of Pekin is the
guest Of Geo. Capps and family In this
city.
Miss Iva Grayson returned to Vinton
today after visit at the Chas. Chosen
home.
Mrs. Jack Kennel and Miss Blanche
Roop were in Sigourney Monday.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-01
STARTED MuscATINE JOURNAL
C. H. Wilson of Washington, la, Es.
tabiished the Paper With Broth
err of Mark Twain,

Washingt n, "a, April &c. H.
Wilson, ex-mayor and an active bust
ness man, celebrated his 18th birth
day anniversary Monday. He came to
Iowa over half century ago and To-
Gated in Muscatine. His first business
enterprise was the Muscatine Journal,
and in 1856, Mr.. Wilson and his part
ner, Orion Clemens, brother Of Mark
Twain, issued the first copy OF the
Journal. He has been engaged in the
hardware business here. and Is at
present secretary and treasurer. Of the
IMaahangton Heating comnanYs
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-01

within 5000 years the Niagara river
will be dry bed" declares a lecturer.
We are forced to take the lecturers
word for it in this case as we can't
prove he isn't right. However, that is
no logical reason why the Des Moines
shouldn't be canaliZed
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-01
BELkNAP.

Belknap-Section Foreman Frank
Petit was Joined Thursday by his wife
and children from their former home
1T Cordova. They have moved into
the ]. M. Mccormick property in the
west end of town.
III. c. Rankin Is visiting at Hardin,
Montana at the home Of his daughter,
Mrs. John Reno.
Mr.. and Mrs. 7. d. Mum entertained
lIr. and ldras- C. Gs GLEASON axzs1 tin
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-01

The barn yard turkey may be eX-
cused if he emits a few gobbles over
the news from his namesake land.
Thanksgiving is long way off, any
way, and he is in no imminent danger
of being mastered.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-01

If the new sultan will abolish that
Turk sky piece he will accomplish a
great reform. Everybody else has
given it up except the organ grinders
monkey.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-01

Mr.. f. G.. Fritts, Oneonta, N Y.
writes: my little girl was greatly
benefited by taking Foley's Orino
Laxative. and I think 1t is the best
remedy for constipation and liver
trouble" Foley's Orino Laxative is
best for women and children. as it is
mild, pleasant and effective, and is a
splendid spring medicine, as it cleanses
the system and clears the comnlexion.
Clark's Drug Store; Swenson's Drug
Store,
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-01

Just five days more and the eight
Central association teams will be OF
in the race for the pennant
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-01
Marriage in Old Rhymes
Marry in Lent
And live to repent.

In choosing the wedding day the
following lines have long been an
authority:
Monday for wealth,
Tuesday for health,
Wednesday, the best day of alL.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-01

And this year may get around to
being ordinary some time.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-01

Provided, however, that the wealth
er man is willing.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-01

Meanwhile it may be noticed that
spring hasn't hurt herself a-springing.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-01

In ordinary years May has always
been a pleasant Miss.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-01

We can hope SO. at least.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-01

PPoPOTAMUS
hunting affords
variety for big
game hunters In
that it takes its
devotees almost
e X C l u S / V ely
along rivers and
lakes, a well
C o m e change
usually from the
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-01
Thursday for losses,
Friday for crosses,
Saturday no luck at all!

Marry when the year is new,
Always loving, kind and true.
When February birds do mate
You may wed, nor dread your fate.
If you wed where March winds blow
Joy and sorrow both you'll know.
Marry In April when you can,
Joy for maiden and for man.
Marry in the month of May,
You will surely rue the day.
Marry when June roses blow,
Over land and sea you'll go.
They who in July do wed
Must labor always for their bread.
Whoever wed In August be,
Many a change is sure to see.
Marry in September's shine,
Your living will be rich and fine.
If in October you do marry
Love will come, but riches tarry.
If you wed in bleak November
Only JOY will come, remember.
When DEFENDERS SHOWS fall fast
Marry and true love will last.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1909-07-08
KENT TRIED TO ESCAPE.
Filed Through a Bar In the W. low
Of His Cell

Rutland, July 7.-Elroy Kent
who was convicted at the March
term of Rutland county court OF the
murder of Miss Della B. Congdon
of East Wallingford, made an un
successful attempt to escape from
the house of correction last Thurs
day. He had filed one of the win
dow bars through and had filled up
the hole with soap, evidently intend
ing to bend the bar back and escape
at the first opportunity.
Harry Madison, a federal prison
er, who had seen Kent working
al out the window, discovered the
sawed bar and at once notified as
sistant superintendent D. L. Bree
Kent, who has been allowed to eX.
ercise in the jail room during the
cay, has now been placed in close
confinement.
The file with which he worked
was found on Kent, but where he
obtained it is not known.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1909-07-08
GATHERING EVIDENCE.
Special Committee OF Board Of
Trade Collecting individual Cases
OF Injustice.

The special committee Of the
Board of Trade appointed at the
meeting of the directors of that body
to investigate the telephone situa-
ton, with a view to placing the
matter of rates before the Public
Service Commission at an earl,
date, held a meeting Tuesday af
ternoon at which the mode Of pro-
cedure in the matter was discussed
thoroughly from all sides. While
no attorney has yet been engaged to
take charge of the case. one will be
employed at an early date and the
hearing asked for in the very n n4er
future.
The committee desires for their
guidance and information, as COM
plete a knowledge of the attitude
of the public as possible, as we'll
as the specific objections and COM
plants of individuals, in order that
the same may be reported to the
Lull ulttLluS VI lAlC DOul W hiNll w
ours next Tuesday evening, July 13.
All persons who have particular
grievances in this matter are re-
quested to be present at the meet
ing next Tuesday evening to present
their claims, and if attendance at
this meeting is impossible, they are
requested to communicate in writ
ing to the Secretary of the Board Of
Trade, stating their complaints.
Information in this matter is most
necessary for the committee and the
board to make any intelligent and
effective work possible, as they can
be guided only by actual informa-
ton, rather than mere reports OF
general dissatisfaction, therefore 1t
is hoped that all persons interested
will respond to this notice.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1909-07-08
SUCCESSFUL FISHERMEN.
Party of Four Returned Last Even
ing from Lake Megantic, Bringing
$50 Pounds of Fish.

F. A. Standish, Edward Felt. l..
N. Wood and G.. H. Stebbins re-
turned Wednesday from fishing
trip to Lake Megantic, where they
have spent about a week, bringing
with them about 250 pounds of
trout which they took during their
stay. The fishing grounds are ex-
ceedingly difficult to reach, it being
necessary to tramp through the
woods for nine miles after going as
far as possible by stage after leav-
ing the railroad
The results of the trip however
amply repaid the party for their
trouble in reaching the spot, for
the fishing was of the best and no
difficulty was experienced in taking
all the fish necessary for the table
beside those brought back to this
city. Many of the friends of the
members of the party were present
ed with fine specimens from the
catch some of the larger fish weigh
ing about four or five pounds.