davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-07-24
EnchantIna Scenery.

Alabama. or even the immediate Bir- mingham district itself. affords scenery almost equal, If not entirely so, to that of the Carolinas," said a man returning from Hale Springs last night.
 From the top of Shades mountain just above Oxmoor the landscape Is enchant- ing. From an elevation of something like 12o0 feet one can see across several ridges of hills Bessemer and Ensley-quite long distance away-and in the opposite direc- ton an excellent view of the Cahaba val ley away over Into Shelby county is af- forded. The view both ways from the top of the mountain is one of rare beauty and one which needs only to be looked upon to be appreciated.
 The property on the crest of Shades mountain Is the most attractive in Jeffer- son county and 1t Is not excelled in this part of the country. By way of the Rose- dale road. which has a per cent maxl- mum grade, the crest of the mountain Is quite accessible In any sort of vehicle. All along the crest of the mountain from a point about opposite the head of Twen- tieth street to the hotel at Bluff Park there Is a fine boulevard, and while the road descending the mountain by way of Oxmoor Is not in the best of shape un- derstand the Board of Revenue Is plan ming to improve 1t.
 These three roads form about S5 miles of the best highways in the county and the country along them promises to be in the near future the site of many hapd- some homes. They will be close to the city and still have the benefit of the high altitude.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-07-24
Great Joy At GadSden

The people of Gadsden are happy and they well deserve to be. When a town of the size of Gadsden raises $150,000 and transfers that sum as gift to an industry 1t deserves all kinds of good luck. It's pluck is equalled by Its generosity, and pluck and generosity will secure almost any prize in the industrial world.
 To do as well, comparatively speak ing, Birmingham would have to plank down about $1,5OO,0OO, and when it does that water would run up stream and, to use MT. Hassinger's word, "cheap water" for manufacturing pur- poses would be secured here.
 Gadsden has won an industry fairly and even brilliantly, and The Age Herald extends congratulations. The Birmingham district has lost nothing, simply because Gadsden is in this dis trict. The transfer of mill, however large. from one part of the district to another part of it Is not loss to the central city of the district Let us therefore share Gadsden's joy and be happy.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-07-24
SOUTHERN COOKING.

From the Cincinnati Times-star.
 Every now and then some one who has enough importance to get into the news papers arises and explains what the south needs. It isn't. as rule. anyone in the south who does this but a thinker further away, with a better perspective, perhaps, if not a very intimate Knowledge of his subject. But the Rey. Dr. Broughton, pastor of Atlanta, Ga, took occasion the other day to tell the Georgia legisla- ture just what the trouble was. He de- clares 1t is being ruined by bad cooking and poor housekeeping.
 To make his charge emphatic-to drive home the spike of criticism, as 1t were he declares that the average southern wife knows nothing about cooking or housekeeping, and gloomily surmises that i've can never develop race of brains and body until there is more attention paid to cookery"
 Is 1t possible that the reverend gentle- man does not appreciate the numerous delicious dishes for which the south has become famous7 Has he never enjoyed to the fullest fried chicken with hot soda biscuit? Has he never tried baked pos sum surrounded by sweet potatoes? Does he not realize that suocotash, that soul satisfying combination of corn and beans. is a southern dish2 Has he not come under the gastronomical sway of tho hoe- cake-the corn bread that fairly melts in ones mouth?
 The south can not cook, forsooth! He will find many people to disagree with him. While 1t is probably true that there are some dishes of the south that make for indigestion and others that are spiced too highly for the average northener. yet to declare that, as a whole, southern women do not know the gentle, but necessary culinary art, is to offer gratu- itous insult. We gre surprised that his speech was actually applauded by the legislators. However. to look upon 1t in the kindliest light, perhaps they wanted him to get through in order to get home to dinner. There are undoubtedly-and we admit this unwillingly-poor cooks in the south; but to say that, as whole. south ern women can not cook Is to say some thing that is not only ungallant, but be- side the truth.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-07-24
IT ISN'T LUCK.

Edgar A. Guest in Detroit Free Press. It isn't luck when man succeeds: It isn't luck when he wins the game, Look over the list of his noble deeds, And you'll find that he earned his right
 to fame. What seems to you but a happy turn On-the wheel of fate, and a man climbs
 high Was a circumstance that he had to earn. Or otherwise 'twould have passed hin
 by. why, he had pull" you say. "a friend Who gave him the place that he holds
 today. His path was level from end to end. He never struggled in any way But search his record and you will see He had toiled by night and had toiled
 by day; And the friend who helped him had
 known that he Could fill the place when 1t came his
 way. Luck isn't factor in mans success, Though the little goddess gives favors
 out To the man who is brave when he's in
 distress, The man of strength and of courage
 stout. But he must toll in the face of woe And bear diversity long with pluck; At last when his fortune smiles--Ah, not Kou cannot eay that he wins by luck.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-07-24
Canal Work At Panama

The truth is, this nation of S0,- 100000 of people, including a large number of men full of ideas and en- ergy, Is the only nation that could have speedily built the Panama canal. Aided by great resources we bring to the task every known mechanical ap- pliance, and this is why the canal work is progressing satisfactorily. Few ap- preciate the fact that every possible mechanical appliance is kept busy in the Culebra cut; the train unload CTS, spoil spreaders and track shift CTS at Tabernilla dump; the suction dredges at the Atlantic and Pacific termini; the cableways and pipe dredges at Gatun, and the cranes at Miraflores-these are the things that ample resources have supplied, and they are making the canal physical anu COHlLlcICldl "lInOub these modern mechanical appliances the canal could not be built in req sonable time at a reasonable cost. No other nation could have duplicated the work that is progressing today at Panama. Not one. France did try it, and the effort resulted in fail ure Upon the United States fell the huge task, and Uncle Sam Is meet ing it with ample resources, ample skill and ample mechanical appliances.
 The chances are that the excava- tion in the Culebra cut will be con- pleted before the close of 1911, and if the Gatun locks can be completed by the end of 1912 the hope is enter tained among the best informed that the canal will be opened by the end of 1913. Colonel Goethals anticipates unforeseen difficulties, and he puts the day of opening at the end of 1914. It may come a year earlier.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-07-24
Genuine Prosnerltx.

Prosperity Is fast returning to the Bir- mingham district" said business man. ''The Tennessee company's announcement of resumption of operations at certain mines and coke ovens that have been Idle, and of increased operations at other mines that have been running only on one-third time means work and pay for many men. Indeed. would estimate that the Tennessee company's increased mining operations will give additional employ ment to fully 2Oo0 workmen.
 Among other announcements made re- gently was for the starting up of Alice furnace by August 1. By the middle of August the Sloss-Sheffield company will in all probability blow in its No. 3 fur mace at North Birmingham; and 1t is safe to say that by September every fur mace stack in Jefferson county, except about three out for repairs, will be send ing forth smoke. The coal trade, long dull, Is improving: the railroads are busy once more, and the coming fall will be the best from business point of view since the fall of 1906"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-07-24

From the Montgomery Advertiser
 Judge Zel Gaston, formerly probate ! judge of Butler county, but now a prom inent attorney of Birmingham, with a statewide reputation, who has been down on his farm in Barbour county for a weeks sojourn, stopped off in Montgom- cry yesterday en route to his home to
 pay his old friend, Governor Conner, a so-
 cial call.
 Judge Gaston and Governor Conner were
 born and raised together In Barbour coun-
 ty. During their' chat in the governor s
 office yesterday morning their converse ton drifted on the subject of state pro- , hibition, and the constitutional amend ment for prohibition, and they discussed
 the matter pro and con. When asked yesterday afternoon con-
 corning his view on the prohibition ques-
 ton in the state of Alabama, Judge Cas- ton said:
 "I am a prohibitionist from the bottom of my heart, and I have voted for prohi-
 bition every time 1t has come up, but I
 am opposed to a constitutional amend-
 ment for prohibition and against crazy quilt constitution.
 q saw prohibition tried in Butler coun- ty over 20 years ago. and 1t was a fall
 ure. Before the county went dry we
 had good, upright, honest citizens and a
 law-abidng community, but afterwards
 a lawless element drifted in and a reign
 of terror existed for two years. It took
 Butler county just 10 years to get over
 the effects of that attempt at prohibit ton.
 When I moved to Birmingham, al- 1 though I doubted 1t, I voted for pro- hibition just to be on the moral side, and i as the result of this kind of prohibition Jefferson county today has a repetition of i Liquor can be bought in Birmingham in i almost every block, and I am told there are 1000 women, white and negroes, who are selling 1t on the streets today.
 T am for prohibition If it can be made
 effective, but if prohibition Is a failure i ton. Conservative people ought to dis
 regard the dive keepers on one side and | the fanatics on the other and get up some | sort of proposition to regulate the liquor | traffic and minimize the evil. 1 We had liquor from the very beginning 1 very end. You cannot stamp it out, but 1t ! can be regulated. We can have prohibit l ton without constitutional amendment
 and let the legislature make some laws | to regulate it."
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-07-24
France'S New PramIAf

M. Clemenceau was by no means a conservative, but he was not at any rate an avowed socialist, as is M. Briand, who has been selected to form ministry. The new premier was an early advocate of the separation of church and state, and as minister of public instruction and worship he con- ducted the government through the troubles that came with the historic change. He is brilliant man, a stu dent, and the best speaker perhaps in the chamber of deputies. There Is not, however, a conservative hair in his head
 It is expected that he will retain nearly all the members of the Cem. enceau cabinet, and the programme of the retiring government will be adopted. The ministers of war, navy and the colonies are in disfavor. and they will be displaced
 No matter how many changes oc. cur in France radicalism seems to hold it's own, and even gain ground. There is no reaction in favor of old mon archial or imperialistic conditions. The France of today is eminently demo cratic, and the France of M. Briand is much more democratic than the France of Gambetta was, and Gam. ,.betta was far more radical than Thiers. The brilliant socialist who is to become premier keeps step pretty well, in an orderly way, however with the revolution of 17S9, out oi which the present republic grewl
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-07-24
THE ORIGIN OF POKER.
he Washington Herald.

From the Washington Herald.
 John B. Barber of New Orleans, speak, ing about the game of poker, said that while most men will testify to the fact that few know very much about the great American game of poker, even the ex- perts will admit they are ignorant of the origin of the game.
 ''All the evidence about poker which has come to light, however, points to its origin in New Orleans" continued MT Barber. The question Is where did New Orleans get 1t from or is 1t an improve ment on some game known to the ipopula- ton of that city. who, it must be remem- bered, were French and used French terms in any games that they played?
 ''There is no French game played with only 20 cards, as poker was played at New Orleans in 1882, but there are sev- eral French games in which all the poker hands are to be found except four of a kind. Ambign Breland and many others will at once suggest themselves. But all these French games are played with three cards only in the hand of each player Where could the inventor of poker have found a game played with five cards In each hand and the pack consisting of 22 cards only?
 The standard pack of cards in Europe from the earliest days has been what is now called the piquet pack, which is the same as our American euchre pack, S2 cards. There is only one country in the world where poker has always been. played with five cards in the hand of each player and that is Persia.
 But the game is not called poker. It Is called mas. If they brought it to New Orleans from Persia or if some resident of that city was familiar with the Per sian game and thought it an improve ment on the French game of ambign and brelan the introducer was probably French and more familiar with French games and French terms than with Persian"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-07-24
Leave for New York.

G. T. Sibley, manager for Alabama of the Equitable Life Assurance socie- ty, will take with him delegation of the Alabama agency force to the jubilee con- vention in New York city on July 26 to & The party will leave this morning on the Birmingham Special of the Southern Railway
 The following delegates will go:
 B. F. Adams, c. W. Butt of Mobile; W. I. Whiteman, l.. P. Lilies, H. S.. Brown. L. B. Lilies of Birmingham; T.. s. Christopher of Gadsden, W. c. Brown of Montgomery A. c. Craven of Hunts vile.
 The Alabama agency was in six months contest with Arkansas for vol ume of new business for jubilee year.
 Alabama has led in the contest from the first month. and wins by substan- tial margin. Alabama Is one of the lead ing ten agencies in the United States.
 In fact. Manager Sibley reports the first six months of 1909 to be the best in the history of his agency, increase in new production being 300 per cent over same period 1908. This is another evidence of the return of prosperity in Alabama.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-07-24
Activity of the Iron Trade

The statistics gathered by the American Iron and Steel association show that in the first half of 1909 the production of pig iron in this coun- try was 11.022.346 tons, gain of 100000 tons over the second half of last year, and gain of 4,000 900 tons over the production of the first half of 1908.
 There are some who think the years production may go to 24,000.0o tons. The record production of a year is 25,781 900 tons. This record was made in 1907. The country is now absorbing iron on the basis of 24,- 100000 tons year, and yet railroad building is dull and railroad operation and improvement is below normal When all things become prosperous end active the country will need a
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-07-24
AMERICAN CAPITAL ABROAD

oo0oo0, the Dominican Republic s15, 900, and in Central America the American in- vestment is reckoned at $5, 600. .0O0, of which the larger part is in Costa Rica. The dollar of the Yankee is being used to ex- ploit the Congo; 1t is found in so remote a region as Norway, where an $11, 600 900 ore company has progressed through American funds. Without American cap ital Japan could not have so successful ly carried on her war with Russia. Now that China is awakening. American cap- ital has as good a chance any of rec ognition in the Chinese Empire. In Cana da, American investments have been placed as high as $500, ,0o0, coo American capital. in fact, gave Canada her start and played the largest part in transform ing the dominion industrially so that now she. too, has place among the lenders of capital to outside nations.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-07-24
pig iron output we'll up to SO.000, 900 tons. The production in the last five years is interesting, as follows:


To what figures will it go in the next few years? It is indeed difficult to name the needs of a condition of general activity in this country.
 This district has held its own. The production in the first half of 1908 was 605,617 tons: in the second half of 1908 it was 791, ,S97 tons, and Ill the first half of 1909 it was S0O,7 tons. Tn the second half of 1909 it may be carried to s50,OoO tons, mak- ing a total we'll up to those of pre- yious years. Alabama's record produc- tion is 1,6S6,674 tons, the product of 1Q07
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-07-24
IN HOIEL LOBBIES
Steel Prices.

President W. E. Cory. of the United states Steel corporation, presided Wednes- day at the regular monthly meeting of the presidents of the subsidiary com panies in the absence of Chairman E. H. Gary, who sailed for Europe last week, . remarked man of the metals trade.
 No announcement of an advance in prices was made after the meeting, al- though, as the New York Times says. 1t was generally understood that the ad- vanced prices for standard steel products announced by the independent companies would be met by the corporation"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-07-24
FINDER OF NUGGET IN POVERTY.

From the London Evening Standard
 The discoverer of the famous Welcome nugget has dfed-in the Ballarat Benevo- lent asylum, aged "A. He returned to Ballarat three years ago poor and in Ill health and had to seek shelter in the asylum.
 The Welcome nugget, one of the largest pieces of natural gold in the world. was taken from Bakery Hill, Ballarat, in 1858. It was found at depth of 16o feet. It wsiGhed 2217 ounces ls pennyweight, and was sold for se1o.50o.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-07-24
AUTOS TO TOW CANAL BOATS.

From the Philadelpnla Record.
 The first successful towing of canal boats by automobile was accomplished on Sunday on the Lehigh canal. Owing to the liability of the towline to snap in the effort to start George B. Plummer. a Camden automobile expert, equipped a seven-ton motor truck of 45-horse power with spiral springs. Six barges with SG0 tons of cargo were taken from Allentown to Bethlehem in an hour. Present lock capacity and speed limitations considered it is estimated that automobiles compared with mules will handle double the number of boats in half the time.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-07-24
REFLECTIONS OF A BACHELOR From the New York Press.

No matter what college boys edu- cation costs, it's cheap to have him get over it.
 Just because a woman has yellow hair and black eyes is no sign she can't be deceptive.
 What makes a bachelors life so lonely is not having things charged to him in all the shops.
 The reason the baby didn't talk earlier is it was smart enough to want to, but couldn't learn. 4
 A woman has only two ideas of good dressing-to show how much she can put on and how little
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-07-24
HIS LINE.

A number of drummers were sitting in a hotel lobby, when one of them began to boast that his firm had the most num- Der of people pushing its line of goods.
 There was a little argument, and then a drummer who had not had much to say before suddenly arose and said. "I'll bet any man in the house that my firm has the most number of people pushing It's line of goods!"
 "Done!' exclaimed the boastful one The money was accordingly put up with a stakeholder, and then the boosting drummer asked, "Now, what Is your firms line of goods?'
 "Baby carriages" murmured the quiet man, as he took the money and made for the side door.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-07-24
Sees Great Improvement.

.'I have spent two weeks in Tennessee this month" said R. F. Dunstan of Chi cago, "and I found business conditions fairly good.
 Birmingham seems very prosperous. When conditions are compared with those of the early part of the year when I was last here I would say that Birmingham was almost If not quite normal from a business point of view. There is certain ly wonderful improvement.
 'I do not recall any time in the history of Birmingham since my first visit about 15 years ago when representative citi- zens were so optimistic as now. Every body here Is predicting something like a record breaking fall trade"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-07-24
CATCH soo-PoUND TURTLE. /
From the Boston Herald.

Bringing with her a monster turtle which proved the sensation of the day at T wharf the schooner Fannie Hayden arrived yesterday from a two-weeks' trip after swordfish. The turtle Is six feet long and measures eight feet across with fappers outspread. It weighs 900 pounds Captain Miller and his crew of eight were about to leave Georges with their catch of S7 swordfish when Fisherman Stryker saw the big turtle swimming along. He harpooned 1t and after long fight the turtle gave up. It was so heavy that a derrick was rigged up to get 1t on board
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-07-24

Aldrich and Cannon have secured for their campaign subscribers and supporters four-ffths of tariff and they are willing to let the President monkey with the odd fraction.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-07-24
ADDITIONAL COMFORTS.

From Judges Library
 T see your rates here are double on rainy days" said the drummer What is the reason for thatT
 Sir" replied Landlord Sparerib, "a careful examination of his hostelry will convince you. that all our rooms are fur nished with baths at that time"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-07-24

The recklessness of Kermit is said to be annoying to his father. The presumption is that he has been try ing to make man-eating lions eat out of his hand.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-07-24

The Rockefeller butter can be eaten with a spoon or burned by putting wick in 1t. It will catch the consumer a-coming or a-going.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-07-24

A veto of the tariff bill would leave the Dingley tarif steadily doing bus mess at the old stand. and this point will be presented to the President.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-07-24
PERSONAL.

Capt. J. D. Langford, who had been an inmate of the Hillman hospital for some time is able to be out. He was suffering with paralEsis snd was also Ill with feveN
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-07-24

The doctors stand ready to ward off old age by removing in children both the large intestine and the appendix at so much per.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-07-24

The stock market Is discounting the future by advancing prices all down the list of securities.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-07-24

Queen Alexandra will be hard pushed when she returns the hospital ities of the gorgeous Whitelaw Reids.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-07-24

Rhode Island Is small, but it has more to say in making tariff than far-fung Texas.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-07-24

MT Hisgen makes axle grease and the Standard oil makes butter. The two may be much alike.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-07-24

Girls under IA years of age cannot peddle goods on the streets of St. Louis. Excellent St. Louis.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-07-24

The consumers money stands out strongly in the receipts of trusts and monopolies.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-07-24

The Wright machine Is the better seller today, and Curtiss will have to be content with second place.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-07-24

President Taft is a conferee ex- officio, because he is the titular lead CT of the republican party.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-07-24

The third house, the White House, is now considering the tariff bill, but 1t Is too late to act on four-ffths of it.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-07-24

Ahmed Mirza has been thrown into politics at a tender age, and he may not be able to grow up in 1t.