davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The San Francisco call., 1909-09-30
RANCH FAMILY POISONED
BY ARSENIC IN FLOUR
Mixture Prepared for Rats Used
by Cook in Mistake
4 Sill D:..4feL a. IT, ell

" ~~~s' -
PETALUAIA, Sept. 29-The family of
Henry Davis a wealthy farmer, who
live on a ranch north of town, was
accidentally poisoned by arsenic last
night The family had been bothered
by rats and mice in the house, and one
of the members mixed some arsenic
with flour, and left it in the pantry as
rat poison.
The cook made hot biscuits for sup
per, and before putting the pan into
the oven sprinkled the biscuits with
flour, using by mistake the poisoned
-four which had been mixed in the
bowl. The mistake was not discov-
cred until every member of the family
was violently III.
A doctor was summoned and admin
istered an antidote. All the victims
are supposed to be out of danger.
The San Francisco call., 1909-09-30
JAPANESE COMMISSIONERS
VISIT GRAND RAPIDS

GRAND RAPIDS. Mich, Sept 29-The
Japanese commercial commissioners who
are making a tour of the United States
arrived here early today and were Off
ciaIly welcomed by Mayor George E.
Ellis.
They were also greeted by the Amer
lean ambassador to Japan, Thomas j.
OBrien, who hurried back from Europe
to welcome the Japanese visitors to his
home city.
After an informal reception the COM
missioners were taken out on an auto
mobile tour There was a banquet this
evening.
The San Francisco call., 1909-09-30

tionaI flights and Curtiss made one
brief though successful test spin of 80
seconds. duration. Baldwin with his
dirigible landed in the Hudson river
less than an hour after the start, while
Tomlinson. after remaining in the air
from 1886 a. m. until 80 p. m, came
down to earth near White Plains, N. Y,
% miles from his starting point.
Neither of the dirigible pilots was
injured, nor was their craft seriously
damaged.
Curtiss was the first to leave the
earth. and at time when dawn had
hardly broken. He passed the night
on Governors island and at O'Clock
rose, but only for brief flight.
Two hours later Wright made his
first ascent, encircling Governors island
and remaining in the air for seven min
utes. After an hours rest Wright
again went aloft, this time remaining
in the air for 6 minutes and 80 sec
onds, attaining speed estimated at so
miles an hour, and with glorious
sweep out over the bay, passing en-
tirely around the great emblem of
liberty.
Wright made third flight at $50
o'clock this afternoon before a big
crowd.
The San Francisco call., 1909-09-30
Ten Thousand Settlers Are at
the Mercy of the Erratic
Colorado River
Should the Stream Take One Of
Its Tangents Water Famine
Would Be Complete
Huge Dam Filling With Silt
Faster Than Dredgers Can
Keep Canal Gate Clear
n r. Ii u--1- -
BalIinger Ties the Hands OF
Reclamation Service With
Red Tape Regulations
Especial Dispatch to The Cali


w WASHINGTON, Sept. 29-'sFhc
NA people OF the Imperial valley
w do not know how slender II the
thread upon which they hang for thear
lives and property governments ofii-
cial said today. @If the Colorado river
should go ON one of ITS faBgents thr
entire region would sfarve for water
within As hours. The canal people
realize their danger and have inti-
ated that they want government assist
auce. hut there Is NO help for them a.
matters stand. The situation il. ir-
deed. very dangerous--
The foregoing statement has as
founded Washington and calls public
notice to the fact that 10000 persons,
residents of Imperial valley, CAL, with
500. 900 head Of cattle, are in immi-
nent danger of dying of thirst, while
the government officials who can aid
them are powerless TO do so, their
hands tied by red tape.
Death Trap Imminent
The dam on the Colorado river. which
is filling with silt and becoming more
-clogged every hour. despite the efforts
Of two giant dredges. working night
and day. The Colorado river, which
is casting the silt into the dam. threat
ems to cut out a new bed in the shift
ing sand. and if this occurs the Inn
perial valley must be depopulated
within AS hours or become the death
trap of it's residents
Overtures have been made by the
California development company.
which supplies the valley with water,
for water from the Yuma dam, but this
plan has been opposed BY many Of the
citizens of the valley. who do not fully
realize as yet the situation in which
the treacherous Colorado has placed
them. and the reclamation service IT.
self can not act because of certain
ironbound rules Secretary Ballinse-
has distributed to the officials of the
interior department. which prohibit
them taking any action without spe-
cifc warrant of law.
Depend on the. Colorado
The 10000 men. women and children
in the Imperial valley arc dependent
entirely upon their canal from the
Colorado. No wells can be sunk in the
district and there is no other source OF
water. The river has changed its
channel slightly and threatens TO move
still farther away from the canal in
take. leaving it with a ridge of sand
perhaps a mile wide between 1t and
the canal.
Dredgers at Work
A dredger is fighting to keep the
canal gate open and another to dredge
out the dam itself.
should the river dig out a channel
even a very few feet farther the water
will be stopped and the efforts OF the
men and machines made futile.
In the event of q water famine the
railroads would have all they could
do to remove the people, The cattle
would have TO be abandoned.
Every effort will be made to reach
Secretary BalIinger and secure aid for
the inhabitants of the valley.
The San Francisco call., 1909-09-30
INDEX OF THE
San FRANCISCO Calls
NEWS TO-DAY
TELEpHoNE KEARNY Sc
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 80. 1s
WEATHER CONDITIONS
NEWS TODAY
yEsTERDAY-cIear;; wesr

fESTERDAY-cIear; west wind; maximum
temperature. "a; minimum, SO.
FORECAST FOR TODAY-Fair, with some
cloudiness; light southwest winds. changing to
brisk west. Page Is
The San Francisco call., 1909-09-30
SAILS AROUND LIBERTY
WRIGHT IN RARE FLIGHT

Wilbur Wright and the aeropanc Nth phich he made spectacular
flight Mem Yok bay yesterday and enuced the Statue of Liberty
the best photographs of Wright and his aeropne yet sent out
o this
The San Francisco call., 1909-09-30
MARINE

Amazon's skipper skips out with ships money
and fair Australian and leaves the mate to
bring ship home Page Is
The San Francisco call., 1909-09-30
Speed Is Greater

The Wright machine showed greater
speed than that of Curtiss, but the Cur
tiss flyer seemed to keep its equilibrium
better and remained on an even keel.
Wright, in fact, met with one slight
mishap in his flight, when wing tip
struck the ground on landing and con-
siderably Jared the machine.
Wrfght,s action in circling the statue
of liberty today is taken. as a chal-
lenge to Curtiss, for Curtiss, 1t viii be
recalled, was the first to mention such
flight. From now on it is expected
that the two aviators will strive to
outdo the other, although neither will
do anything reckless
Wright's second fight lasted min
utes and 80 seconds. While returning
from the statue with. the wind behind
him he made approximately SO miles an
hour.
In starting the machine went along
the monorail for the entire distance of
1s5 feet and then turned upward. AS
cending as he circled about, Wright
heading his machine, directly toward
the statue of liberty
AT a height of 80 feet he flew over
the water with the wind coming
slightly over the port side. He
climbed gradually as he approached the
r.tt.....,s< =. ri,..~e > f,.,vs..,.~ 81
The San Francisco call., 1909-09-30

c Continued ON Psxe 2. Column :
The San Francisco call., 1909-09-30

Continued ON Page ?. Column 2
The San Francisco call., 1909-09-30
FOREIGN

American protest against treaty. between
Japan and China reported in Tokyo. but denied
In Washington. Page 2
Great rejoicing in Spain over the capture
OF Mount Guruga, stronghold of the Moors in
Morocco. Page z
Government fails in effort to arbitrate strike
in Sweden. Page 2
French episcopate issues letter denouncing the
public school system Page z
The San Francisco call., 1909-09-30
EASTERN

Whitney says trouble with ships engine
tended to prevent trip back to Etah afte
Cooks goods. Page
Two bandits raid bank at GIenwood Springs
Cole, and secure $4,000. ra;sc
Every American record for stock autos broker
at Riverhead- Page
Wilbur Wright circles statue of liberty in hi
seroplane. Page
Maude Feaiy. the actress, obtains divorc
rom Lewis Hugo Sherwin. Page
The San Francisco call., 1909-09-30
COAST

Canadian seslers complain of action Of tn
United States revenue cutter Bear. Page
President Taft reaches Pacific coast and i
welcomed at Seattle after meeting old sweet
heart in North Yakima. Page
Delegates to American mining congress visi
Tonopah and wander over ore zone. Page
The Mena weekly star., 1909-06-24
ALL WILL. HELP nENA

Mena needs factories.
 It needs institutions that will turn the raw materials about into prod ucts that are needed elsewhere.
 1t needs institutions that will pro- dlce the things needed by it's own people.
 1t has one of the former and it promises to be good one-the Mena Box and Manufacturing Company now converting lumber that has been considered almost worthless into all sorts of crates and boxes for eggs, fruit, vegetables, etc. This establishment will bring money into Mena and Polk county and distribute it among the people for labor and for timber that before it's coming was unmarketable. Mena citizens started this without asking favor of anyone.
 It is now possible that a brick plant soon will be in operation-one that is expected to make better brick than can be found in any market If it gets started in time it will fur nish brick for a new church in Mena and for other buildings. It vii furnish work for laborers and vii convert a raw material into ready money money that will remain 1T Mena to help all of us money thaf if sent away will help none of us.
 A live man from another city re .~ r-g remarked at the fact tha there was no wagon factory here There are enough used within fort, miles to keep a good factory busy There's enough material at hand t. keep it going for hundred years The money for all but the iron woul, be kept at home.
 The box factory is running. The time is here to boost the bricl plant.
 With these going the next stel will be easier.
The Mena weekly star., 1909-06-24
What State Tax Commission Means

To The Star: The Arkansas Ga zette, short time ago in discussing the Arkansas tax commission, com plained that the counties throughout the state were not paying their just proportion of state taxes compared with Pulaski county and quoted a prominent official of that county to show that Pulaski county paid on the full value of their property. In the Gazette of June 18th this interview is clearly exploded by the report of the tax commission on the valuation of horses and mules in each county in the state, and for the benefit of those who did not see the article, want to show you how pu- aski is paying compared to other counties:
 PULASKI COUNTY.
 4690 horses, valued and assessed at $25 each. 3965 mules, valued at SAP each.
 POLK COUNTY.
 3l78 horses, valued at $44 each. 1889 mules, valued at $67 each. In other words Polk county pays into the state treasury $111 to S67 for Pulaski on horses, asses and mules, which you can see is unfair to us. But again, look at St. Frar- cis county:
 ST. FRANCIS COUNTY. 1257 horses, valued at $91 each. 3285 mules, valued at 60 each. St. Francis pays to the state gov ernment $15l while Polk pays Sl11 and Pulaski S67, on horses and mules.
 In my judgment the Arkansas tax commission law is the best one passed in years in this state and will be of untold value to this state and counties in the near future.
 Yours truly,
 Wright Prickett,
 County Judge.
The Mena weekly star., 1909-06-24

tax 80 nicely. so easily. There would hardly be kick. Everybody would pay such little. you know-a and of course the company would want to be safe-want to be sure to collect enough. What harm if there were few millions left over for John D. and the rest?
 And the same system would work so nicely with the steel trust, the sugar trust. and innumerable others.
 If Aldrich and his crowd make a fight on this, it will look nightly like bluff just to fool somebody by thinking the corporations are being hurt.
 If this theory is not all wrong, again what's the use?
 But there's another recommends tionsurged by the president that will be fought in hard earnest the in- come tax, especially with the grad uated' feature attached.
 This tax, not applying to men of small incomes, say under 5000 a year, and exacting greater per cent as the incomes mount upward, has a genuine leveling effect. It relieves the weak and poor whose burden already is heavy, and makes the rich bear according to their strength.
 England is being forced to adopt such law because the middle and lower classes already have been taxed t) a point that squeezing them fur ther is like taking blood from turnips' The government has got to have the revenue, and now has turned to the only place left where it can be had the ones who have, through rob. ping the producer, secured about all there is.
 A graduated income tax has been earnestly advocated in the United States by good, earnest. thoughtful men for little less than half cen tury as the most just way to raise revenue. Once such a law was passed, but the Supreme court de clared it III constitutional, by ma, jority of ONE VOTE. Taft evidently believes now that the majority might be the other way by one ol lmore votes.
 l It may not come now---but it vii come. If the present Congress can not "see the light" another may find it necessary so to do.
The Mena weekly star., 1909-06-24
Rational Brevities.
(Davidson.l

Constancy of optimism is a great virtue.
 Truth is the bed rock foundation of all good.
 To foster selfishness is .to invite the world to spurn you---in effect.
 He is a great benefactor who fur nishes honorable employment to honest people.
 Preserve and improve your good qualities every day if you desire to be a good citizen.
 To be deterred from action by or on account of adverse public senti- ment is cowardice.
 The healthfulness and lovely eli. natic conditions of Mena, if proper. ly advertised, will make it a great city. Let's get busy.
 Those who continually suppress or control their evil natures are the most loved as they thereby always present an attractive demeanor.
 Kindness responds to kindness as promptly as the magnetic needle to the pole. and when discreetly ap. piled quiats even theenraged temper, EncourS re every good citizen of moral oh. -acter to remain and get others to cc,ne and live in this beau tiful city, for such are of inestimable value.
 A sufficient quantity of this worlds goods contribute to comfort and happiness, but an over supply---in the hands of one---is destroyer of both public and personal happiness. Seeming trifes tho light as air,
 Often make and unfold
 Into deeds rich as ore can bear
 Of parest virgin gold.
The Mena weekly star., 1909-06-24

acts are subject to just criticism. But in the matter of calling aspeclai election all over Arkansas for the purpose of electing a chief justice ard associate justice of the supreme court, and for the purpose Of filllng vacancies in county and township ot- fees. we believe that Governor Don aghey made a grieyous mistake, and will be the means of causing the va rious counties to be put to lot ot unnecessary expense. The whole thing was caused by the governor appointing Chief Justice Hill to a position as attorney for the state in the railroad rate cases, a matter that Hal Norwood was elected by the people to look after, and who would have done so if given an opportunity. After Justice Hill was appointed to this position, of course his place on the supreme bench was made vacant, and thus the governor had an oppor- tunity to fill his place, which he did by appointing Associate Justice Me Cullough, thus creating another va- cancy, which he filled by the appoint ment of Sam Frauenthal of Conway, the governors home town. Now af- ter causing all these vacancies, and filling them by appointment, he calls special election in each of the sev- enty-fve counties of the state, to ratify his appointments, for none of the men appointed have any opposi- ton.
 We believe the governor is com plying with the law in calling an election to fill a vacancy, but his mistake was in creating the vacancy, very costly thing to the people, and wholly uncalled for. There is but one vacancy in Little River county offices, that of surveyor, and few vacancies in township offices, but these matters are not troubling any body, and we have a surveyor ap- pointed by the governor, and the News believes that the people of the county should ignore this special election, and thus save the county the expense of same, which would amount to two hundred dollars, to say the least. All the officers to be voted for are already serving, and no benefit can accrue to the state or county, by going to this expense
 Little River News.
The Mena weekly star., 1909-06-24
BITS OF EVERY DAY PHILOSOPHY
lAtchIsOn GlObe.l


 One trouble with the modern re- former is that he insists on making it pay.
 The woman who falls il love with man because he is a most graceful dancer, should always remember that, barring vaudeville, there isn't much money in dancing.
 Speaking of the high price of liv- ing, the chances are that you will feel better if you eat little less, hurriedly.
 A good many people never seem to know what they want until they try it, and then they know they want something else.
 You doubtless abuse the Cubans 8 good deal for not being capable of self government. Do you govern yourself very well?
 An Atchison man who is notorious ly henpecked, lately explained to a | friend: 'I must either stand it, or whip her. And it is easier to be henpecked than it is to whip wom- an."
 A preacher was called upon recent ly to tell dying man that the end was near. He said nothing about repentance or hell; he told the man he was about to go on little journ- ey and that at it's end he would meet all the good friends who had gone before. He must not be afraid, he told him; all would be well. And the man died with a pleasant smile on his face. The incident is an illus tration of the great change in senti ment: Two generations ago tho preacher would have talked brim stone to the man about to depart.
The Mena weekly star., 1909-06-24
A Good Hobby to Ride.

The press of the state more gen. erally than ever before is taking up the hobby of insisting that Arkan- sas shall produce what Arkansas consumes.
 It is policy that cannot be too thoroughly and consistently taugh..
 Preach 1t and teach it and practice it.
 The farmers of Arkansas hold the future of the state in their keeping, and are neglecting their own good when they neglect to take advantage
The Mena weekly star., 1909-06-24
REMEMBERS MENA,s FAIR

No man ever worked harder to make Mena's annual fair a success thun did Hal L. Norwood, when, during two years, he served as presi- dent of the association. He put his whole heart in it, and unselfshly gave weeks of his time to the service. And it is certainly pleas ant. now that his duties to the state compel him to live elsewhere, to have such a demonstration of good will and helpfulness from our form CT citizen has he has given.
 Mena thanks you, Mir. Norwood.
The Mena weekly star., 1909-06-24

make Mena a desirable place in which to make homes; they attract favorable notice of strangers and lead them to speak we'll of the city, its people. and influence them to cast their lot among us. They are, generally, secured only through labor and sacrifice of unselfish men and women, who give freely that all may share in the benefits.
 Let us ali do part to lend cour- age to such workers. and to over come any spirit of vandalism in the thoughtless ones.
The Mena weekly star., 1909-06-24
 HOW A FEW HARM r1ANY.

One of the prettiest spots in Mens IS at the corner of Tenth street anC Maple avenue, where untiring labor and the expenditure of more thar $l00 has converted a rough, unfn. ished spot into pretty, clean lawn decorated with beautiful flowers and shrubs. and with curbs along the street lines.
 This is the property of the First M. E. Church, and is in the care of the Rev. William Robinson. the pas tor, to whom is due the most of the credit for the improvement.
 The neighbors around appreciate that these features are of value to them that they add to the value of their property. Every citizen of Mena appreciates that the more such spots. the better the impress sion made on visitors something that has real value to any city, not only by it's influence on the resi- dents. but in cash value as well.
 But, despite all these things, the Rev. Mir. Robinson's $ soul has been severely tried of late by some van- dal or vandaIs who have, in the late hours of the night. maIiciousIy broken down fine flowers and plants. He says if they wanted the flowers, and took them, he would not feel so badly about it, but they simply de- stroy them, and he requested The Star to say word in behalf of right in the matter.
 Tbe same trouble has had to be combatted in the city's beautiful park, but it is growing less as more 1 people appreciate it's value to all 1 the people of the city.
 All these improvements help to 1
The Mena weekly star., 1909-06-24
NEEDFUL KNOWLEDGE.
Msna People Must Recognize and
 Heed Ii.

AASNu He
 Kidney ills come quietly-mys. teriously.
 But natare always warns you,
 Notice the kidney secretions.
 See if the color Is unhealthy.
 lf there are settings and sedi. ment, passages frequent, scantv, painful.
 It's tune then to use Doan's < Kidney Pills.
 To ward off Bright's disease or diabetes.
 Deans have done great work in this locality.
 Mrs. R. J. Brooks, Pine RluH St., Malvern, Ark, says: "I do not know what l would have done had 1t not been for Deans Kid- ney Pills. 1 suffered for years from kidney and bladder trouble and the more I doctored the worse 1 became. My back was very weak and 1 always fe t tired and weary. My kidneys were badly dlsordered and caused me great annoyance, l was unusually mic eraole when l procured Doan's Kidney Pi Is, but 1 felt better af ter l had used the first box. [ was soon well and am glad to state that l have remained so since. l cannot praise Doan's Kidney Pills too highly"
 For sale by all dealers. Price s0 cents. Foster Mllburn Co. New York, sole agents for tbe United States. '"0 Remember the nalpe-Doan 's-- aud take nc other,
The Mena weekly star., 1909-06-24
No Cause for Consteruation.

It is currently reported that Jeff Davis is about to quit the United
 States senate in order to again be- come a candidate for governor of Arkansas. This is serious threat, but as Jeff hit the bottom of the political toboggan in the last guber- material contest it wilt not arouse much consternation. De Queen Bee.