davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-02
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
Convicts on the Roads.

Georgia has certainly set Alabama a fine example in the matter of roads de- Nelopment, said member of the Cham Der of Commerce. "The state will in fu- tare work all of it's convicts on the pub- lie roads and when we consider that there are about 1000 of them some idea of the magnitude of the work that can be accomplished in the next few years can be formed.
 Alabama has some fine roads, especial ly Jefferson, Montgomery and Mobile counties and there is a spirit in the state of spreading them still further in all counties, but I firmly believe there is no better way to develop road building than to put the convicts to work. The leasing system may have resulted in lit- tie scandal in Alabama, at least there has been nothing to compare with the dis closures in Georgia, but I think the sys tenn is bad and the sooner we rid our selves of 1t and use the labor of our convcts for the benefit of ourselves and our children the better it will be for Us and for the eonvicts themselves"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-02
Set Good Example.

Now, I call that real courtesy" said Colonel De Leon who makes his head quarters at the Commercial club Those two fellows who participated in a per- sonal encounter over there under the county jail are real gentlemen. They are not only consderate of the public but they show the right modern respect for the law, by fighting within it's grasp. as it were.
 "A mean man would go off to Pratt City or some other distant part of the county to do his fighting, but when a fellow really wants to see the laws en- forced in the quickest possible time he settles his troubles in front of the county iail. and makes enough noise to attract the attention of the deputies who are a1- ways ready to put willing men in jail.
 'I just watched such an occurrence, and I think those two men should be pre- sented with medals and set up as public examples"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-02
GeOrgia's New Convict System

On April l about 2000 convicts in Georgia were withdrawn from the hands of contractors to be distributed among 105 counties for use on their public roads. Including county con- yicts about 4O0O men will hereafter work on the roads in 105 counties. It is now unlawful to lease a felony or misdemeanor convict in Georgia to private parties. One county can, how ever, lease it's misdemeanor convicts to another county, for all are to be kept at work on the public roads.
 This change is promoting the good roads movement in Georgia. The change was brought about because the contractors matreated the conyicts. but hereafter it is expected to lead to the building of good, hard, modern roads in place of the dirt roads that have long been a hindrance to the development of the state. The white convicts are to work on the public roads as well as the black convicfs. and 4000 men will certainly build many miles of good roads.
 The Georgia papers say that a road building fever has taken strong hold on the more progressive counties of the state. Four expert road supervi- sors are to be employed by the state. and the hope is as the years go on that the old state will be filled with good roads.
 Alabama stands chance to be soon outclassed by Georgia In the respect of public roads.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-02

proved an overmatch for the Russian Foreign Minister Iswolsky, and in the lineup of the powers Germany and Austria were pitted against England, France and Russia When Russia wayered in her support of Servia the issue was decided. Servia was left without an active supporter and there was nothing left for her to do but to promise to be good and to respect Austria's terms and wishes. Paris and London and NJ. Iswolsky were knocked out, and Austria, with Germany behind her, named the terms of settlement. SerYia gets nothing unless it be some commercial concessions, while Bosnia and Herzegovina are irrevocably an- nexed to Austria. The matter was really decided at Mukden and Tsu- shima.
 This culmination of the coup of last October adds nothing to the Austrian empire, for that empire has governed Bosnia and Herzegovina 30 years under the Berlin treaty. Austria's title to Bosnia and Herzegovina is simply con- firmed; Servia is hopelessly penned up by tariff walls, and France and Eng land have lost the prestige that Ger many and Austria have gained. As for Russia her condition of helplessness is confessed before all the world.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-02
BLOWING UP A WHALE.

From Popular Magazine.
 &Then began the work of bringing the whale to the surface and blowing it up so that it would float. Taking a hitch about convenient post, the rope was slacked and run through a pulley block at the masthead to relieve the strain of raising the great body. The winch was set in motion and for 15 minutes noth- ing was heard save the monotonous grind as fathom after fathom of line was wound in When the body was brought alongside the lobes of the fukes were cut off and lifted to the deck. Then a long coil of small rubber hose, one end of which was attached to a pump and the other to hollow, spear-pointed tube of steel with perforations along it's entire length, was brought into play. The spear was jabbed we'll down into the whales side. the air pump was started and the body slowly filled with air. When inflated sufficiently, the incision plugged with oakum and the chains cast off. A buoy with a flag was then attached to the carcass and the whole set adrift to be picked up at the end of the days hunt ing
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-02
River Rates In Alabama

g Alabama is the chief river state in the union, and when the Coosa. the Tennessee, the Tombigbee and the Warrior are given slackwater naviga- tion, transportation in this state will be reyolutionized. The opening of the Tennessee and the Warrior is pro- gressing, and the opening of the Coosa and the Upper Tombigbee is but a mat ter of time. All of the big rivers of the state are to be opened This is well assured
 Would it not therefore be advisable on the part of the state railroad con- mission to be cautious when they are asked to name charges on the open rivers of Alabama? These rivers be- long to no corporation. They are opened and will be kept opened to nayi- gation by the federal government, and in spending millions on these rivers the idea was and is to open free high ways to all corners. No state author ity made these rivers and no rights of eminent domain go with them.
 Why, then, should not these rivers of Alabama be open and free to all? Nothing else is free, and the water ways should be free to all. If the state railroad commission begins to tinker with the rivers it will be very sure to -.enhsrraga- at1east the object of open ing rivers in this state. If Alabama is to supply Colon and New Orleans with bunker coal the less rate control the state commission exercises over our rivers the better for all concerned. Let the rivers be open and free to all
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-02
Novelty Business Picks Up.

Robert G. Wakefield, an old Atlanta boy, who has made a great success as a seller of novelties, is spending few days in Birmingham. Wakefield has sold nov cities in nearly every city of importance, and has a rare experience This business, he states, has fallen off greatly during the past eighteen months, but since the first of the year has been picking up won derfully.
 Business depression will hit our bust ness probably as quick as any line," he said. And as a matter of fact, from the fall of 1907 to the first of this year a first class novelty seller was lucky if he made enough to live on. During the last two months, however, things have bright ened greatly, and I have done great business, almost breaking my record dur ing February"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-02
SeTVia'S Submission

Servia has been compelled to accept Austrias programme simply because Russia is powerless to defend the Southern Slavs. When Japan whipped the grand-duked army and navy of Russia Servia's plans and hopes went down also, and now the result of those Japanese victories are brought home to her. Russia was her only friend and protector, and Russia is in no con dition to go to war and will not be In a generation.
 Bosnia and Herzegovina are annexed to Austria, and the Berlin treaty is practically abrogated. Bulgaria and Eastern Rumelia will also acquire in- dependence and international recogni- ton of it. All this sprang from the Japanese victories in the Far East
 Baron von Aehrenthal, the Austro- Hungarian minister for foreign affairs.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-02
WOMEN WORKERS OF FRANCE
From the New York World.

From the New York World.
 An inquiry made by the British board
 of trade into French industrial conditions
 shows that in France wives and children
 contribute to the family income to
 greater extent even than is generally be- lieved An analysis of 56O5 household bud
 gets of working class families in Paris
 and in representative industrial towns
 throughout the republic disclosed the fact that among families earning BIO a week
 or more, 3S per cent of the income is con-
 tributed by the wife and children. In
 the lowest income group ($6 and under)
 their joint contributions constitute 15 per
 cent of the total income, and in the other groups vary from 11,5 per cent to PAT ! per cent. The wfe's individual earnings range from S.6 per cent to 14.5 per cent.
 In the town of Roanne, with a population
 of S4.s0l S7 out of every 100 wives aid in the family support.
 near approach to an equality of labor
 between the sexes has thus been reached in France, where, by the census of 1901, | 6SO4510 women and girls, or approximate ly one-third of the. female population, 1 were in active occupations. They con- ;, stituted one-third of all the workers in | France. In Germany one-quarter of all 1 workers are women In the United States 1 in 1900, 5,319,397 females were returned I as in employment out of female popu- l laton of 2S, 2463S4. or 1S.S per cent. They 1 comprised less than one-fifth of all work
 CTS and showed an increase in number of
 only IA per cent for~the 1O-year period | from 1S90
 | But where in Europe women still as- sume the burdens of the heavier forms of labor, with us the drift of woman labor | is toward the lighter work of the office l and store. While in 1850 women supplied | 23.3 per cent of the employees in Ameri- 1 can manufacturing industries, and in 1890 l 26.3 per cent, the number in 1900 was 1 PAT per cent. On the other hand the per centage of women in professional service in the United States rose from 6.7 in 1880 | to S1 in 1900, and in trade and transpor- tatlon from 2.4 per cent to 9.4 per cent | And this in spite of the yearly addition of | vast European woman population fa- l miliar by tradition and early training with l women's work in the factories and fields
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-02
SeIlinu Liqht and Air.

''The practice of.selling light is an old one" said a citizen interested in build ing yesterday 'In the old times over in England it was the habit to buy the light where business houses and churches were being erected.
 However, in the present time this buy ing of light or air is carried. on much larger scale, and 1t proves to. be worth enormous sums
 'I understand that the Empire Con- struction company bought the light above Chris place on First avenue. The pur- chase was really fourteen stories of air This simply means that no building car be erected which will cut off the light or the west side of the Empire building However, it is probable that at later date an annex will be added to the Elm pire building similar to that of the Brown Marx.
 When Ben T. Head and associates puiiS their skyscraper on the opposite corner
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-02
VOICE OPENS SAFE.
Denver Man lnvents Unique Phono.
 graphic Time Clock.

From the Denver Post.
 It's the ha! ha! now that George J.. Charpiot has on the bank robbers, safe- blowers and other sorts of thieves who open doors that have been time-locked. The safe may be opened by one individual only, and it is his voice, and his alone, that speaks the words that set all the lit tie wheels in motion and eventually throws wide the doors.
 The inventor is George J. Chrapiot, old time resident of Denver and nephew of the famous Fred Charpiot one of Den vers pioneer hotel men. He is very mod est about the wonderful piece of mechan- ism he has constructed, and says he would have invented 1t long ago if he had thought about it.
 On the outside of the safe is the mouth piece of an ordinary telephone transmit ter. Attached to its diaphraghm is a del- icate needle, the end of which rests in a groove of a certain sound record made on a phonograph cylinder. The phono- graph cylinder is part of the mechanism of the lock, and the record it contains is the countersign spoken by certain voice. When this countersign is spoken into the safe by the man who made the record the vibration of the needle coin cides with the record on the cylinder and a continuous electrical contact is made, which, when completed, sets free the me- chanism and the doors swing open.
 There are other details such as electric motors, which turn the cylinder, and cir cult wires of delicate fabric.
 A little difficulty that has not yet been taken care of is the possibility of hoarse- ness of the bank president or whoever sends the voice into the safes voice re- ceiver. Apparently the safe will have to remain locked until the proper custodian recovers his normal voice. The only way the bank robber could get the tipping of voice would be to hold the bank official up, take the record of his voice on a phonograph and use that. Even then the banker might disguise his voice and fool the would-be robber.
 An appliance similar to that to be used on safes may be employed on the front doors of houses. In such cases the owner of the house might come home with a voice husky with emotion or strong drink and be compelled to sit on his own door, step until morning
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-02
GEORGE MEREDITH.
At Eighty-one the Writer Lives a
 Peaceful, Happy Life.

From the Kansas City Star.
 George Meredith recently celebrated his S1st birthday. Many of his friends and most writers of prominence in England sent him messages of congratuation; and there were several cables from Amer iea. Meredith lives In tiny little cot tage built of flint and brick at a place called Boxhil, Surrey, in beautiful part of the country not far south from Lon don. He has been a recluse for many years, though taking a deep and living interest in the world without being ex- actly of it. He reads his daily papers without fail, and interests himself in the most up-to-date subjects. Recently he gave a careful study to England s scheme of raising a territorial army to such an extent, in fact, that when the secretary of war spent a few days at Leatherhead near Meredith's place, he made a special point of calling on the author and discussing his army plans. The secretary and Meredith are old per sonal friends, both having attended the same university in Germany.
 Meredith, qpto a few years ago, was great athlete, famous particularly as a walker. Recently, however, he has been confined to taking drives about the coun- try which he loves so well. He goes about with his nurse, Cole; his gardener "a very old personal friend, more than servant, and his skye terrier, Sandy" He drives in a little cart pulled by his donkey-another friend-which he has christened Picnic" Meredith is tre- mendous optimist and sees the cheery side of everything He is a devotee of the beauties of nature and loves the woods and flowers. He is expert in matters of Horticulture and forestry. When the late Grant Allan lived near Meredith he fre- quently consulted the latter on technical points connected with woodland lore. Mer- edith also is a keen student of ornithol- ogy, and though he does not care for the purely technical side of the subject, he knows the habits of every bird in his district and can tell to within a few days the different mating seasons Mere dith still does some writing, but he sell dom visits the little summer house, or wooden chalet, at the bottom of the gar den where he wrote most of his famous books. The interior of this little shanty is kept neat and clean for him, however, in case he ever should wish to go there.
 Though Meredith Is now recognized as one of the giants of English literature, fame has come late to him. His early books were almost unnoticed, and he was so poor at one time that he sustained himself for days on packet of oat-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-02
THE UNRlPENED LIFE.

By Hartley Coleridge. Long time child. and still child, when
 years Had. painted manhood on my cheeks
 was IT, For yet I lived like one not born to
 die; A4.t A thriftless prodgal of smiles and
 tears, NN No hope I needed, and I knew no fears. But sleep, though sweet is only sleep; and waking. I walked to sleep no more; at once
 oertaking The vanguard of my age with all ar
 rears Of duty on my back Nor chtld, nor
 man,
 Nor youth. nor sage, find my head is gray, li. For I have lost the race I never ran: A rathe December blights my tagging May; And still I am child, though I be
 old:
 Time is my debtor for my years un- told.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-02
CITY AND THE STATE

mately also Chicago will not go Spring. field for legislation.
 There is nothing inherently objection- able to the city-state. Certainly the state of Manhattan, which would be third in population in the union, would be as much entitled to two United States senators as is Nevada, Delaware, Oregon or either of the Dakotas. There are but 13 states in the union with as many inhabitants as Cook county, and it's interests in har- bors, lake navigation, seaboard water ways and interstate commerce, all tied up more or less with federal laws and com missions, give it claim to full represen- tation in the United States Senate which probably not more than three state could equal.
 In California the conflicting interests of the fruit growers of the south and the lumber and other interests of the north interests whose conflicts eventually will split the state-have given San Francisco chance to play both sides and get something out of the game.
 In Wisconsin the ''sawdust dynasty" the railroads and the agricultural districts have had conflicts so intense that Mill waukee has been let alone.
 Maryland has simply submitted and Baltimore is the state.
 It has been proposed to unite the iron ore district of northern Wisconsin with the upper peninsula of Michigan, where iron and copper mining are the economic determinants, because these districts arc out of tune with the rest of their re- spective states, and make of these new state
 Certainly if some sort of peace based upon justice and opportunity for free de- velopment cannot be established between city and state governments the next move all along the line will be similar to that just begun in Albany for city-state of Manhattan.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-02
Fishinu Is Fine.

"Fish are biting better this year than ever before," said Will R. Denton, who has just returned from two weeks fish, ing trip on the gulf coast in company with Mobile and New Orleans men. Tt seemed as if all we had to do was to bait hook and drop it in the water when presto the fish would nibble. The weather was good with one or two days exception, and the twenty odd men in the crowd had the time of their lives. I could tell of number of wonderful catches we made,'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-02
THE LooUAcIoUS MAN.

By Theophrastus.
 The loquacious man is one who V III say to those whom he meets, if they speak a word to him, that they are ndite wrong, and that he knows all abort it. and that, if they listen to him they will learn: then, while one is answering him. he will put in, Do you tell me so?-don t forget what you are going to say" or
 Thanks fo reminding me-" or T have been watching you all along to see if you would come to the same conclusion as l did;' and other such cues will he msKe for himself, so that his victim has not even breathing time. Aye, and when he has prostrated few lonely strag- glers, he is apt to march next upon large, compact bodies, and to rout them in the midst of their occupations.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-02
IN A STRANGE LAND.
.om the Philadelphia Record.

From the Philadelphia Record.
 Two belated disciples of Bacchus stag gered arm in arm up Walnut street about 8 o'clock the other morning. The street was dark except for a single ground glass globe that blazed in front of an apartment house. One of the inebriates, spying this lone light, observed,
 ''Oh, look at zhe moonshr'~S
 The other seriously contradcted him, saying:
 That ain't no moonsh; zash sum-
 This started an argument, which lasted for several minutes, as to whether the globe was the moon or the sun. Finally they decided to leave 1t to the first passer- by, who happened to be another happy gentleman. They stopped him. and point ing to the globe. asked:
 Settle an argument, old pal; Is that ale moon or the sun?"
 The third party stared knowingly at the globe for several minutes before he shook his head and replied:
 Gentlemen, really couldn't tell you. I'm stranger in this town"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-02
FOR OBVIOUS REASONS.

From Pearsons Weekly.
 The old gentleman, who was always declaring that boys were not what they used to be, stopped in front of the smart child
 Well, Tommy" greeted the old gentle man. "how are you today?"
 "very well, sir," responded the smart child shyly.
 And do you ever think what you arc going to do when you are a great big man?" M
 "N-no, sir"
 "Ah. I knew it. Children are so shift less these times. And why don't you give it any thought"
 "B-because I am little girl, sir
 And he last seen of the inquisitive old gentleman he was making long strides down the avenue.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-02
YE EDITOR ON STYLES.

It did look at one time as if all the fool fads about dress were noticed only by the ladies, but the fair sex no longer hold this distinction. Men are the biggest monkeys on earth! If style chops the bottom of the coat off just above the pistol pocket, men adopt it. If style lengthens that coat to the length usually worn by the duck-legged negro preacher. men buy 1t, and think it great. If fash ion decrees that the bottom of the pants leg be about as big as the end of an ele- plants snout, and the top of them as big as a four-bushel meal sack. they will not go begging for buyers. If style puts a lot of braiding, embroidery. hemstitch- ing, extra buttons, buttonholes and lap els cut like crazy quilt patterns on the coat, men will come along and buy them
 Never again should we criticise women for wearing freak dresses because some other woman wears them. Men, now, will go them several lengths on style ev- cry time.-Dothan Eagle.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-02
superlntenden nt of Education.

T am meeting with much encourage tendent of education,' said Prof Joel C. DuBose, "and this week I expect to make trip out over the state. While no announcement has been formally made by me in the newspapers, I have written to large number of my friends over the state slgnifying my intention and their responses have been very gratifying. I am great believer in seeing the voters personally and this coming week will be the first of a number of trips that I contemplate making"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-02
Satisfactory RehearsaIs.

'"There were 90 people at the rehearsal for the music festival tonight" said Prof. F. B. Grambs, 'and the music is getting better every time.
 "Birmingham's big festival will un- doubtedly be success and we have ev- cry reason to expect 15O people at the next rehearsal, which comes Monday night.
 "Birmingham's musical talent is very fine and it is answering promptly to the need of the occasion. Every good voice in the district is needed, and most of them have already signified their willing ness to take part. The rehearsals, hereto fore, have all been entirely satisfactory