davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-08-24
HlGA-LIGHT DINING.
n the New York World.

From the New York World.
Uptown a farmer gambling house,
famous alike for its high stakes and Tor
it's high art is about to be turned into a
costly restaurant High lights and high
living will be among it's fresh accessories.
The steel-barred door that hung of old
rigid In the face of the police will swing
wide for the man with the price For
chances on the red, the black or the
turned-up card there will be substituted
the risk, not always less imminent,
which men take with cold bottles and
simmering birds.
The transformation will add another to
the array of New York glittering show
places 1t is contemplated, in accordance
with what seems to be truth established
by profitable experience, that luxurious
indulgences at the table can De promoted
by lavishness in the provision of environ
ment
New York has its crystal palaces, its
palm rooms with running brooks, its roof
garden forestries, its underground beef
steak dungeons, its ''morgue" and Its
various types of folk restaurants. all de-
signed to lure diners and suppers by some
means other than the direct call of the
food In the gambling house case the
tradition of the place. the lookouts stored
post and the secret passages built for
use in a swift retreat are expected. doubt
less, to be not less attractive than the
! nantes, staircases ceilings and other
works of art that cost large fortune.
New York." sighed famous chef who
closed his simple doors a few years ago
does not know how to eat" This is a
detail that need not worry the proprietor
whose faith is in his white lights. He
WILL provide Holsters, the glass and the
glare. Prodigal metropolitan nature will
| do the rest, regardless of the trained ap-
4 refife
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-08-24
SOME COLLEGE SPELLING.
Prof. w. B. Bailey of Yale. in the Ne

Prof w. B. Bailey of Yale, in the New
York Independent.
No one can blame the colleges of this
country If they demand as one Of the
requirements OF admission the ability on
the part Of the student correctly to spell
words with which he would express his
thoughts. Essays submitted by $50 stu
dents contained an average of five mis-
takes to each pupil. Nearly 30 men made
the mistake of placing an unnecessary
re" at the end of syllable, as de-
partement, development" A very COM
mon error was to transpose the vowels
"ei'' and 'ie." Relieve and receive"
were the words most sinned against.
Preceding" and Succeeding" offered
difficulties to many, while Offered and
preferred" proved troublesome. Why
principal and principle" should SO
often be incorrectly used by college stu
dents is mystery. There are few
simple rules for spelling which should
have prevented at least half of the mis-
takes Before the age Of IA these rules
should be part of the educational out
fit of the student in the grammar
schools.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-08-24
ANCIENT CHINESE CLOCK.
Copper Jars Dropping Water Told the
Time 5000 Years Ago.
From Popular Magazine.

From Popular Magazine.
The most interesting of all water clocks
is undoubtedly the copper Jars dropping
water" in Canton, China. where saw 1t
in 1897. Referring to the simple line
sketch, which made from memory, fig
ure and reading four Chinese characters
downward the translation is Canton
City" To the left and still downward
Hon WOO et-low," which is Copper Jars
dropping water" Educated Cinnamon in
form me that it is over three thousand
years old and had weather vane AS
street arch" this would look quite prob
able; since the little open building,
tower in which it stands is higher than
surrounding buildings. 1t is therefore rea-
sonably safe to state that the Chinese
had a weather and time station over 1000
years before our age. 1t consists of
four copper jars partially built in mason
ry forming a stair-like structure. Com
mencing at the top jar each one drops
into the next downward till the water
reaches the solid bottom jar. In this
lowest one a float, "the bamboo stick"
is placed and indicates the height of the
water and thus in a crude way gives the
time. 1t is said to be set morning and
evening by dipping the water from jar
to jar 1. so it runs IL hours OF our
time. What are the uses of jars and
g. since the water simply enters them
and drips out again?'
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-08-24
Increased Earnings.

"In the railway world gross receipts
continue to increase at gratifying rate,
says a writer in the Wall Street Journal.
For the Al roads reporting to the Wall
Street Journal gross earnings for the
first week of August increased 1924 per
cent over those of 1908. Based on this
better showing, little new railway financ-
ing has actually been announced, but
the community is anticipating the fota-
lions during the remaining months of
the year of a considerable body of stock
rather than of bonds. A feature of the
railway traffic is the shipment of mer-
chandise to the interior over trunk lines
from the seaboard points and the distri-
button to consuming territory from COM
mercial centers. This high class freight
is now swelling the gross income of the
roads But grain moves slowly, at less
than 100000 bushels a day to primary
markets.
I'm western fields the autumn's Increase
in the shipment of live stock has begun
and Will continue until snowfall. The
rush of traffic on the lakes is taxing the
shipping resources. The country as a
whole is enjoying one of the quietest
periods in many a year in the relation Of
the railroads to the public"
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-08-24
IN HOTEL LOBBlES
Business Conditions.

Thomas w Gentry of Richmond, repre-
sentative of the Richmond Locomotive
Works, Is In Birmingham on his way
home from a trip through Louisiana,
Arkansas and Mississippi.
1.-THE locomotive business is improving
like everything else" said Mr.. Gentry
and 7 am expecting great prosperity
within the next IL months. The company
which I represent is operating steadily but
not at full capacity. We are now work
ing about 1900 men but when we are going
full time we employ over 1000 men.
In the cotton states which l have Wis
tied the farmers were talking gloomily
of crop prospects, Judging from what
l heard there will be not more than two
thirds of cotton crop in either Loais-
ana or Arkansas
But the south, as a whole, is In excel
lent condition. The lumber interests are
showing decided Improvement and here In
the mineral district the iron business Is
active and the steel mill al Ensley seems
10 be doing we'll The railroads In this
part of the country have been slow to re-
spond to improved commercial and indus
trial conditions, but they are now getting
busy, and l think the fall trade every
where will be highly satisfactory.
Birmingham has made strides In the
matter of large buildings since I was
here last fall. Its business district is
very handsome now and will be still
handsomer in the near future"
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-08-24
Patent INFRINGEMENT In AirSbiDS

The Wright brothers have brought
suit in federal court against the Aer-
onautic Society of New York, alleging
that the Herring -Curtiss aeroplane
which the society has purchased is an
infringement on the patents granted to
them. 1t will scarcely be possible TO
confine to two brothers a revolutionary
invention that aims to conquer the air
for the uses of all mankind. The suits
will, however, go on, and doubtless in
the end the Wrights will be found to
have valuable basic rights. They GER
tainly we're the first men to demon
strate the absolute practicabllity of
fight In heavier-than-air machines.
But still all the glory Is not theirs.
No flight in heavier.than-air machine
was possible until the automobile had
developed motor that could be used
in it, Flight today will depend upon
improvements in motors more than
upon any other one thing. Many minds
will contribute to the great result. for
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-08-24
Drastic Legislation.

I'm my opinion constitutional prohibition
is not going to win," said ]. e. Shelby,
former president of the Birmingham
Board of Trade.
THE conference to be held in Mont
gomery on September Is will mark the
beginning of campaign that will appeal
readily and forciby to the freemen of
Alabama Thousands of honest prohibi-
tionists will draw the line at constitu-
tional prohibition. No matter what might
have been thought about the experiment
of statewide prohibition there can be
no question among business men that
the drastic legislation that has just been
adopted at Montgomery is depressing and
will result in real harm to the state'
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-08-24
Fire DEPARTMENTS Good Work

Birmingham business district was
threatened with disastrous confagra-
ton last night when fire destroyed a
large paint store in one of the hand
soonest mercantile blocks on First ave-
nue.. The flames were fierce, the wind
was blowing and embers were flying
two or three blocks away. 1t looked as
if half the block would go UP in blaze
and indeed valuable property in sew
eral blocks was in jeopardy. But the
tiremen did splendid work. The fire
was confined to the building in which
it originated and what threatened to
be a million dollar conf1agration did
not involve a loss of more than $780,
900 or $4,000.
A few years ago the heaviest fire
loss, perhaps, in the history of Bir-
mingham was the result of a confagra-
ton in the same block as that in which
the fire of last night occurred. Half
the block was then destroyed and the
fire department would not have been
able to get the fire under control but
for the shifting Of the wind. The
Mayor telegraphed to Chattanooga and
to Atlanta for assistance and fire COM
panies were ready to start from those
cities when the appeal from Brming-
ham was recalled. But our fire depart
ment was much smaller than 1t Is to-
day, and the organization then lacked
efficiency
Birmingham now has well-equipped
department. 1t has good engines, good
hose and good men, and the best of 1t
is, the men are thoroughly drilled and
ready for any emergency. The fact is
that Birmingham has a fire department
that will compare favorably with that
of any city in the country; and as re-
suit of the increased efficiency the fire
losses under Chief Benefits admins
tration have been comparatively small
But last nights fire put the department
to it's severest test since the reorgani-
cation, and the hundreds of business
men who looked on were spontaneous
in their praises of the firemen. 1t
gave all present feeling of assurance
that Birmingham department is ade-
quate for any contingency.
All honor to Acting Chief Walton
and the brave fire fighters who saveu
one of the city's best blocks from
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-08-24
Dir. Hartman and Wall Street

Mr. Hartman will return home tired
out and far from well. The real ma
ture Of his illness is not known to the
public, but publt apprehension con-
corning his health sufficed last week
to create a decline in Wall street vary
ing from 16 points in Union Pacific to
about points in other securities act
lively dealt in in that market. Nothing
In the affairs of this country or the
rest of the world called for any such
marking down of prices. All condi-
lions outside of Mr.. Harriman's case
were reassuring. Remarkable as the
statement may appear, the illness of
one man took millions upon millions
OF from stock volues last week. Mr..
Hartman has long been the master
mind in railway exploitation. He pro-
NOTED bull markets. He marked prices
up. and his access to insurance accu-
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-08-24
sILENcINa A DRUMMER.


A good story is going the rounds of the
press about a drummer and a pretty
waitress. Here Is what happened, accord
ing to the report:
The dapper little travelling man glanced
at the menu and then looked up at the
pretty waitress: Mice day, little one,"
he began. Yes. It Is" she answered,
land was yesterday, and my name Is
Ella, and l know I'm a little peach, and
have pretty blue eyes, and I've been here
quite a while and like the place. and
don't think I'm too nice a girl to be
working in hotel; If l did I'd quit my
job; and my wages are satisfactory; and
I don't know II there is show or dance
in town tonight, and II there is I shall
not go with you, and I'm from the coun-
try and I'm a respectable girl, and my
brother is cook In this hotel, and he
weighs 200 pounds, and last week he wiped
up this dining room floor with a fresh
S50-a-month travelling man who tried to
make a date with me. Now, what'l you
have|' The dapper little travelling man
said he was not very hungry and a cup
of coffee and some hot cakes would do
Exchange.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-08-24
Dr.. NeWfield's Return.

The Rev. DIR. NJ. Newfield, rabbi of
Temple Emanuel, returned Sunday from
trip abroad. He is looking the picture
of health and was heartily greeted on
the streets yesterday. DIR. Newfield sailed
for Europe in June and visited France
Belgium, Germany and ria-Hungary
Hungary being his native land.
Il never enjoyed a trip more" said
DR.. Newfield. 1.-THE European countries
that l saw gave evidences of thrift and
1 was especially impressed With the pro-
gress which Germany is making. Ger
many is the best educated country in
the world and Berlin is about the great
est city in the world. Berlin was large
handsome and progressive city when l
was there attending the university prior
to my coming to America, but it has
had phenomenal development since then
and has improved wonderfully in every
way. During my short sojourn in Berlin
on this trip l attended two lectures at
the university"
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-08-24
Irritation In the Arid Belt

The country does not take kindly to
highbrows and a senile Secretary OF
Agriculture are endeavoring to put in
pickles and catsup and other canned
articles of food consumed largely by
the poor. But, unwelcome as benzoate
is in the peoples food, it is not more
hurtful, perhaps, to the general pros
perity of the country than is the prop
osition Of Secretary of the Interior Bal
linger that no more money shall be
spent in irrigation projects.
Stretching all the way from Arizona
tain range is belt of arid lands. The
moisture springs up from the Pacific,
but by the time the clouds have reach
ed the SUBMITS of the mountain range
all the moisture in them has been ex-
tracted The rainfall on the eastern
slope of the mountain wall is thus re-
duced to minimum. The government
in Mr.. Roosevelt's term said it would
come to the relief of the arid belt, not
by making an appropriation from the
public purse, but by devoting the pro-
ceeds of the sales of public lands in the
arid belt to irrigation.
Up springs the remarkable Mr. Bal
linger, however, who is reported 10
have said that he will authorize no
more expenditures for irrigation. This
means that an act of Congress and
great policy are to be thwarted by a
single man. 1t means that the country
is to be cut In two by an arid and
therefore barren belt
1t is plainly a matter that President
Taft will be compelled to take hold of.
On the face of current reports the Sec
Rotary of Commerce and Labor is over
straining his authority He has no
right to change the irrigation policy Of
= the country. He comes from the state Of
Washington, and his Pacific coast
ideas do not seem to harmonic with
policies adapted to this side of the
Rockies
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-08-24

the air is to be fully conquered and
aviation is to take on commercial
form in the soon coming years. A dec
ade will certainly suffice to give man
victory over the most elusive element
that he has to deal with. and when vic.
tory does fully come history will GER
tainly do justice to the two young men
from Ohio who patiently and doggedly
led the way to it.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-08-24
PJANIsT's VACATION.
rom the London News


An interesting holiday story has got
into circulation concerning famous
pianist. Unable to tear himself altogether
away from his art while enjoying rest
in Switzerland, he had piano taken to
a secluded chalet in a wood, and every
day went there alone to solace himself
BY chance one day some one strayed into
the wood and hearing the music spent
pleasant hour drinking in the sounds from
the closely shattered chalet. Next day he
went again with some friends. At the
end of a week the virtuoso discovered
that q big crowd was enjoying his per-
Torrance. At frst he felt inclined to
blame this intrusion on his solitude; but
better thoughts prevailed and during the
remainder OF his stay he threw open the
shutters and played his very best
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-08-24
The strawberry grows underneath the
nettIe. king Henry v.
Aer0Dlales Al Rheims

So fast has the conquest of the air
by heavier-than-air machines pro-
crossed that no one is astonished to
read that the air at Rheims is filed
with machines that fit about in the air
like great gulls. The sea was not con-
quered by Fulton and his successors so
rapidly as the air promises to be by the
Contests of various sorts will take
place at the Rheims carnival. There
will be long-distance races, efforts at
the highest flights, the maintenance Of
fight throughout the longest possible
time, to say nothing about passenger
carrying and speed trials. Speed and
endurance tests will be freely made.
There are about forty heavier-than-
air machines at Rheims, seven of the
number being Wright machines. Nei-
Their of the Wright brothers will be
present, but their work will be well
presented there. In the tests of last
Sunday, the first day of the carnival,
the Wright biplanes surpassed in act
ual achievement all the rest.
France Is destined to be the chief
center of flying machines, and it is
wholly fit and proper that the first
grand test of all known models should
be held on her soil, or rather over her
soil, for the aeroplanes are no more
tied to the soil than are the seagulls
they initiate
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-08-24
PITTSBURG'S PROBLEM

unequal distribution of her wealth. For
when men once begin to recognize
frankly the injustice of conditions
which they have been brought up to
and accepted unthinkingly, their abil-
ity to recognize other varieties of
wrong rapidly develops. Right and
wrong do not live happily together, and
I firmly believe that when the day
comes that the Pittsburg millionaire
recognizes his obligations not to ex-
plot even a despised foreigner, he
will see also that he has an ob1iga-
ton not to exploit the ultimate con-
sumer'"
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-08-24
REGARDING Prohibition Sentiment

There Is Enthusiastically a reaction
against prohibition of the statewide va
r:ety in many sections said r. 2. Run
yon of Philadelphia. "Such a statement
may seem strange in Alabama, where
the legislature has just passed the most
drastic bills in the history of prohibition.
But in Maryland and in Virginia, where
statewide prohibition was threatened
year ago. l find now quietude and de-
gree of assurance that those respective
commemorative will be spared drastic
laws. | have not visited Kentucky but L
am aold that the prohibition nightmare
in the blue grass state has passed. Geor-
gta took a decided step in throwing off
prohibition when the Legislature put tax
on beer, thereby legalizing the beer
traffic. It is called nearbeer but that Is
simply a technically to satisfy that class
who. like the ostrich sticks Its head in
the sand.
Had the prohibitionists In Alabama
been wisely led they would have found
some way to strengthen the laws they
passed two years ago. AS 1t is they have
passed such extreme measures that a
man up tree or an outside as 1 am,
and one by the way who seldom takes
anything to drink stronger than beer,
will be ready to bet that the laws will
not stand. They must strike most people
as being un-American to say the least
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-08-24

mutations and to Standard Oil circles
enabled hir' to float loans and to &C
quire the control of great corporations
to a marvellous extent. He control:
Union Pacific. and 1t owned, ACCORDING
TO its last annual report, stock as fol
lows:
Atchison preferred stock. ........s 10000, OK
Baltimore and Ohio
eonliiiou ''......'..'...'' Sz'ao4, ~
Preferred ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, I206. 4ff
Chicago and Alton preferred -, 1034s. 100
Chicago and Northwestern com, 3,2l5.o01
st. Paul
common Observation-Disclosures, 1,34o, oOO
Common (65 per cent paidD..... S,275,5o0
Preferred (s5 per cent paid).. 1,s45.0o0
Great Northern preferred. .,...., 3,57S.6
Iron ore certfs, 77164 shares
Illinois Central stock. ....,......,. 2,123, 100
New York Central stock. ..,..,.a 14,2S5, 700
Northern Pacific
Common ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, 112,S0O
Common (621z per cente paidD.. 1901 500
Northern securities stubs.......a 724.9o0
Railroad securities
Common ..........,.............,, 3,4s2,90
Preferred OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES l,935,9 0J
Southern Pacific
common ''...'.''''.....'.''.....' o'OO9 eoo
Preferred ........................, %,D0,0O0
iotdIt l5uo. '''s.s.s'.. 700 oVit ~
What Mr.. Harriman's plans we're in
buying these securities is not known
We give the list simply to show in an
official way the magnitude of his trans
actions. Possibly he intended to Sc
cure a transcontinental line either to
Baltimore, or by acquiring control of
the New York Central, to New York
and Boston.
His schemes snow how open Ameri-
can railroads are to great combinations
when a remarkable man appears on the
scene, and Mr.. Hartman was certain
ly, when in full strength and vigor, tho
greatest bull leader this country has
ever known.
The transportation lines of this coun-
try do not, however, depend upon any
one mans condition. Prices even In
Wall street will be governed in the
long run by intrinsic conditions, and
40 doubt values will be raised as readi
ly as they have declined. What goes
down in Wall street on account of a
mans illness is pretty sure to regain a
proper level But the entire situation
is a tribute to the magician Of the
market whose name has long been con-
nected with the upbuilding of railroad
after railroad all the way from Savan
nah to San Francisco.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-08-24
COFFlNS LAST FOREVER.
rom the London Globe

From the London Globe
A curious source of wealth Is reported
by the French consul at Mongtze. In up
per Tonkin. 1t lies in wood mines. Tne
wood originally was a pine forest. wnicn
the earth swallowed in some cataoaysn-
Some of the trees are yard in diameter
They lie in q slanting direction and In
sandy soil. which covers them to depth
of about eight yards. As the top branches
are well preserved. 1t is thought the geo
logical oonvulzion which buried them cam
not be Of very great antiquity. Tne WOOD
Furnished by these timber mines IS nm
ner,,hshl. ara the Chinese gladly buy it
for coffinS
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-08-24
ADRIFT WITH THE TIMES
krEPING TILE FAITH.

kEf1IINtf / III fRlli1.
From the cradle TO the grave
Man is born 10 suffer trouble;
Tor the coward and the brave
Life. they say, Is Just bubblef
But II always seemed to me
If n fellow does his best
Toiling on undaunted, he
Needn't bother bout the rest.
Needn't bother bout the sorrows
That will come and soon depart,
Needn't face the dim tomerrows
With a sorelv quaking heart,
Needn't be afraid of losing
All that makes the game worth while,
When its problems are confusing
And he longs to rest a while.
Needn't worry bout the riches
That 1t seems he'll never get
Though a patch is on his breeches,
Sooth. he may be happy yet.
Failures no disgrace, I'm thinking,
II fellow proves he's brave,
Never Sinking, never shrinking
From the cradle to the grace.