davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-08-05
Railroad Bookkeeping.

For the first time in the history of
%railroading. says the Iron Trade Re-
view. it is possible to study railroad
earnings with confidence that conclu-
sions will show how business is with
the railroads rather than how they are
keeping their books. The interstate
commerce commission has required the
railroads to keep their books according
to a uniform and prescribed system
since July /. 1907. Two results follow:
~ Trustworthy statistics are fur
nished for comparing the earnings Of
different roads and of all roads for diff
ferent periods: (2) it is impossible for
railroads Il increase or decrease their
earnings showing for Interior purposes
The Review continues:
The nine months July, 1903. to March.
1910. showed minor variations in expenses.
although on the whole considerably lar
ger expenses than in either of the two
preceding fiscal years. Revenues showed
q wide variation. increasing to a maxi
mum last October. then declining. but in
creasing again in March by much less.
however. than the bare figures show. since
March had three more days than Febru-
airy. January was really the low month
in revenue. the February rate showing an
increase over January and March an in
crease over February.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-08-05
A Bid For Race Suicide.

"a great city is a great curse. and
the greater the city the greater the
curse" said Il philosopher still living
who spent three months in an Area
dian hamlet of 100. but now resides in
New York. population 1000. 900 plus
Aud in all probability he is proud OF
his city when he reads in the census
reports that it has added a few hun
dred thousands to its population every
year since 1900. Now Chicago has the
four-million fever. bur is compromising
modestly for the present upon an am
bition to have three million people.
Chicago wants to annex enough OF tho
e%nvironing Illinois to reach the three
million mark without waiting for set
tiers. There is a Three Million Popula-
ton club in Chicago, just as there Is il
Million Population club in st. Louis.
and so forth.
Just why these cities. already big
enough or too big for comfort. want to
swell up like bullfrogs or distend
InC " ~ u VI
marvel to the calm and contemplative
mind Of the Arcadian who prefers life
in a town where air and sunlight are
free and there are no signs warning
him to keep Off the grass lest he get
into the c%alaboose. Congestion of pop
ulation is the chief curse Of modern
civilization. Crime breeds where
crowds gather. Disease tiourishes
where domiciles become tiers Of cells
called fats and apartments by cour-
teSy. PeStilence-moral. spiritual and
physical-stalks in sitting streets.
Some day there may arise Il rcformer
who will lead Il crusade for the limit
ing of the size of cities. 1t is healthful
and wholesome to desire Il reasonable
growth Of population. but the herding
of millions is Il direct bid for race sui
eide.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-08-05
TESTING FIRE CLAY.
Science Of Little VaIue-Eatins It tho
Practical Method.

Science Of Little VaIue-Eating It tho
Practical Method.
Fire clay has been in use for Ger
turtles, and vet l believe the industry
is one which lacks definite laws more
than any other, including those which
are either modern or ancient and of
less prominence. You can go to Il
manufacturer Of steel and specify what
you want by actual figures or state
ments, and you can check the product
by chemical analysis or mechanical
tests and thus make sure you get what
you need. The producer knows how
to combine certain elements and what
quantities Of various kinds to combine
in order to get a result at least very
closely approaching what you call for,
but not so in the fire clay business.
In the past the most skilled and
highest salaried chemists have been
employed to make tests, to promote
and carry thorough Investigations on
the natural product and to study the
workings of certain manufactured and
elaborated articles derived therefrom.
The result has been, generally speak,
ing, confusion worse COMPOUNDED.
Two professors working at similar
times on brick or clay, obtained from
the same source and manufactured un.
der exactly equal conditions, have re-
corded Numerically opposed conclu-
sions! The same scientist at different
periods has reached vastly varying
conclusions when testing identical quail.
tiles and shapes of bricks, so a you
wonder if a prominent fire clay manu-
facturer should exclaim, as l heard
one on an occasion after having the
above experience, "All tests of fire clay
are empirical, and 1 would sooner trust
our superintendent to pick and select
his clays in the old fashioned way
than pay a high fee, for a %highbrow's
recommendation"
The chief method of testing fire clay
by a practical man is literally to eat it.
He can detect grit and sand best by
that method, and a good fire clay free
from silica. %quartzite or flint clay, is
free from grit. His only other person
al test is by experiment.-A. S. 3.
Little, Engineering Magazine.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-08-05
Experiments With Iron Alloys.


The alloys Of iron with metals other
than those which enter into the com
position of cast iron and steel have
been little studied. says the Scientific
American. In order to ascertain if any
of these alloys possesses useful cleo,
trical properties Burgess and Aston
have made Il series of experiments
with alloys of iron with arsenic. bis
muth and anthony. The iron which
they employed was obtained 10y the
electrolysis Of very pure Swedish iron.
The metals We're melted together in
the electric furnace in Il crucible Of
magnesia. The alloys We're cast into
bars. which We're subjected to various
thermal treatments and were %investi-
gated for magnetic permeability and
hysteresis. The results show that the
presence Of anthony in iron always
Injuries the mechanical strength of the
metal and sometimes makes it worth
less. Small quantities Of arsenic i'm
prove the magnetic properties of iron
and increase it's electrical resistance.
Bfsmuth produces the same effect. hui
it must he added in larger quantities
than arsenic.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-08-05

There really should be something
done to prevent people of the name of
Bill taking all the offices. There are at
least eight Bills after the New York
go%vernorsbip. In the Democratic camp
are William SulZer and William j..
Gaynor. to say nothing Of William j..
Corners and William X. Hearst. who
are said to be supporting SuIzer.
Among the Republicans 1t is even
worse. as William II. HOtchkiss. Viii
liam A. Prendergast. William Loeb.
Jr.. William S. Bennett. William Il.
Wilcox and Clark Williams are all be-
ing mentioned us Republican candi-
dates. 1t is almost certain that Bill
Taft will indorse one of these. Indeed.
he has already spoken u good word for
Bill Loeb. Talk about trusts!
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-08-05
Tho Smallest Atom.

Professor X. 4. Milliken of the Uni
versity Of Chicago has discovered after
four years of study that for which
scientists for ages have been looking.
Professor Milliken has discovered the
ion Of electricity.
The ion of electricity is the smallest.
the most minute particle or atom in
the mysterious electrical charge Of
which the scientists Of the world know
SO little. While they have been able
to harness his powerful mysterious
force. they have admitted freely that
they know very little about it or what
it is or whence it comes.
As Il result of the discovery OF
Professor Milliken the world today is
much nearer than ever before to the
actual discovery OF electricity. The
unknown has been reduced to the
atom. and the atom has been measur
ed and observed not once, but many
times. in the course of the experiments.
I'VE have not as yet found the mys-
FERROUS force that is called electricity.
but we have learned how to gauge it,"
says Professor Nilliken.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-08-05

spikes which pass through the anchor
plate are long enough to be driven to ii
considerable depth in the ground aI,;
serve as additional means for preven!-
ing the anchor plate from sliding "uj
of position.
In use Il trench is dug at the poils
where the post is to be erected. III
trench is just wide enough TO receive
the anchor plate Il, and the blade G "f
the plate is driven into the undisturh.
ed ground at the end of the trcnrl.
thus atfording IL firm anchorage. There
after the post is erected on the ancho:
plate and the braces ID and L are bolt
ed fast. For corner posts the anchor
ing device is used in duplicate. llM'
blades G of the anchor plate are driven
into the ground ut the side. where
there will be IL lifting strain imposed
by the tension of the fence wires. The
inventor of this anchoring device fu,
f%encepostS is Julius IauX of Flatonia,
Tex.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-08-05
FENcEPosT ANCHOR.
inexpensive Device That May Be Al
tached to Any Post.

A patent has recently been granted
on IL novel method OF supporting ::
%fencepOSt so that it will withstand rX
cesSive strain. The construction will
be especially useful for anchoring cor
ner posts. The device is very simple
and inexpensive and may be readily III.
tached to any post. In our illu>ira-
ton we show in Fig. l the construction
applied to the ordinary %fenceposi.
while in Fig. > is shown the conStruc-
ton used for corner posts. In both l..
Illustrations the post is designated b..
the letter \. At the bottom Of the pos
is III anchor plate, Il. which at II en-
is tiattened out to form a blade, G.
The opposite end Of the anchor plate
is doubled upon itself to receive th"
lower end of Il diagonal brace. ID. the
upper end Of which is bolted to the
post. An angle brace. f, is secured 1t.
the opposite side Of the post and CON
meets it to the anchor plate 3. Tn
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-08-05
The dry season has caused no short
ness in the crop of candidates.
Knocking American Plays.


Charles Erohman. the theatrical man.
ager. is at least frank in explaining
why he prefers English and French
plays to those produced by Americans.
In plain English. Mr.. Frohman says
the American plays are not good
enough. His press agent gives the fol-
lowing statement. including a quota
ton from Frohman himself:
In his selection of productions for the
coming season Mr.. Frohman has been ex-
trernely cosmopolitan. more SO even than
In other years. Less than Is per cent Of
40 per cent are English and more than 30
per cent are French. Nor is the reason
hard to find" said Mr.. Frohman. 1T is
merely that the American authors. volu-
minous enough in their output. are not
producing the goods" The manager has
endeavored to secure virile American
plays. yet has discovered only seven that
warrant his production. Contrasted with
these are sixteen English plays and thir-
teen French. considerably the largest for
eign dramatic importation that has ever
been made.
1t does not yet appear what the
American theater going public thinks
of Mr.. Frohman's knock on American
plays. The public is. or should be. the
final arbiter and is in a position to
make its verdict respected. 1t would
seem that since we protect all other
American made goods we should at
least give the benefit Of the doubt to
our own playwrights.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-08-05
Woodman, Spare Those Trees!

What is this we hear? Colonel Roose-
welt cut down six fine large trees on
his Sycamore Hill estate in one day!
Can it indeed be true that the dis
patches from Oyster Bay are correct?
Perhaps they were sent by wireless
and got mixed up in transmission with
some story Of the ruthless destruction
Of forests in the northwest. The
colonel must have cut half a dozen
watermelons to feed to insurgent SEN
ators. and the word "trees'' got in by
error. Surely this great conservation.
list, whose "Woodman. spare that
tree!" adapted and adopted from the
late poet, George P. Morris. is a slogan
that has been heard around the world.
like the first shot fired ut Concord
bridge by the patriots of the Revolu-
ti%on-surely he is not deliberately and
DELIGHTFULLY."- denuding his own domain
Of its forest kings in this manner! Per-
ish the thought-but preserve the
trees!
Will it be necessary to have q gov
eminent commission appointed to in
quire into this matter? According to
more or less expert authority, the only
trees remaining in the United States
by about 1888 will be exhibited in the
dime museums unless the ruthless fell
ers of forests are checked in their work
Of destruction. Should not conserva-
ton, like charity. begin ut home?
Teaching is not done by precept alone.
but by example as well. Perhaps a
government commission might devise
some mode of strenuous exercise for
the colonel which will serve to con-
sumo his surplus energies and at the
same time conserve his trees. He
might help Governor IIadley of Mis-
souri, cut his fodder and shuck his corr
this coming fall. Woodman. lay down
the Ak and take up the corn knife!
Serve and conserve!
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-08-05
Church Reclaimed From Sand.

After having been buried for several
hundred years in immense sand drifts
st. Edenock's church. in Cornwall.
England. is now being used once more
as a place of worship. The ediice was
built about 1900 A. d. 1t is situated
near the shore in a section Of the coun-
try which is almost devoid Of vegeta-
ton, great sand drifts covering many
square miles. High winds blowing III
from the sea piled the sand up Over
the church. completely burying 1t. No
attempt was made to dig 1t out for sew
eral hundred years. A few years ago.
however. work was begun, and the an.
cient church was repaired and services
held in It. q
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-08-05
Humor and
Philosophy
THE ONLY BRAND.
By DUNCAN n. SMITH

YOU hear of tardy justice.
L Does any other kind
Come tearing madly down the pike
To help along mankind?
Too bad the lady in the case
Is lame as well as blind.
1t never won a foot race.
For justice moves along
AS slow as cold m%olasses,
For. though it may be strong,
It doesn't run to speeding
AS wind to right a wrong.
A fellow steals your chickens.
The case is plain and clear:
His lawyer makes objections.
The great Judge lends an ear.
And then the case goes over
For something like a year.
You labor in the vineyard
To help men get ahead.
They take the thing for granted.
And not a word Is said.
But they your name may honor
Perhaps when you r dead.
But that's the way with justice;
1t never strikes a trot:
1t never hits the iron
The moment it is hot.
You have to wait in patience
For it to reach the spot.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-08-05
sundial For Columbia.


The class graduated from Columbia
college in 1856 gave the university on
commencement day a granite sundial.
said to be the only one of its kind in
this country. The plans for the dial
and Il small working model have been
made by Harold Jacoby. professor Of
astronomy and a member Of the class.
The dial consists Of a granite sphere
five feet in diameter. mounted on 81
circular granite plinth some ten feet
in diameter.
On the surface of the plinth are
marks which designate the actual time
of day at every seas0n of the year.
The dial. according to DR.. Jacoby. will
probably be the best timekeeper in
New York as long as the sun shines.
but it will be subject to the failings of
all other sundials when there is no sum-.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-08-05
AIR COLLECTING SHEET.
Simple Method Of Supplying Fresh
Air to Well Diuuers.

In localities where fire damp exists
underground it is a difficult and dan
gerous undertaking to dig a well. as
the digger often loses his life by en-
tering the deadly gas. which, being
heavier than air, is found at the bot
tom of the we'll. If fire damp is sus-
pected a lighted candle may be lowered
to the bottom of the well, and if the
gas is present the candle will be extin-
guished.
A method of furnishing fresh air to
the person who is working down in the
well is shown in the accompanying
sketch. An air collecting sheet, a piece
of ordinary sheeting about two Yards
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-08-05
Edible Mushrooms,

Charles II. Peck. botanist Of the
state Of New York, in his annual re.
port states that the known species Of
edible mushrooms in New York
amounts to 200. Five new kinds Of
sdible mushrooms were discovered IN
the last year.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-08-05
FRESH AIR

wide and three yards long. is fastened
to the posts. A pipe six OF eve inches
in diameter is made of the same cloth,
with an enlarged funnel shaped end.
which is sewed to the bottom end Of
the air collecting sheet. Hoops are
placed in the cloth pipe at suitable
distances to keep the pipe open for the
free passage of air. The edges of the
air sheet should be REINFORCED SO it
will stand the pressure of the wind.
The end of the cloth pipe should hang
ear the digger's head.-Popular Me.
chanics.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-08-05

Should they decide to adopt the plan
Of selling eggs by weight in New York.
as indicated in the news. will it be
necessary to sell the eggs hard boiled
so that one egg may be cut to prevent
overweight or underweight when a
pound is ordered?
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-08-05

President T3ft's pro~nnnciamentO to
the effect tina everybody ought to have
two months vacation every Sulnnle is
strictly nonpartiSan. and il he wants
to run on that platform fer reelection
it will be Il strictly nunllr'iSlu cam
paign with only one candidate None
other need apply.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-08-05
What kinet;c Energy Is.

Kinetic energy is the power stored
in a moving object which keeps 1t in
motion. BY way of illustration con-
ceive a railway train rushing along a
straight, level stretch of track, the
train being driven to its power limit.
If the source of power. say the steam
pressure. il now suddenly removed by
closing the throttle the train will con-
tinue to run or "coast" for Il long
distance, due to It's kinetic energy,
gradually reducing in speed until the
energy is exhausted and the train
stops.-Scientific American.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-08-05

Some people think it pretty tough
that they can't be permitted to see the
fight pictures from Reno when the
nickelodeon down the street is adver.
Il round of bank holdups.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-08-05
Hu1nor and
Philosophy
PERT PARAGRAPHS.
D. DUNCAN n. SMITH

PERT PARAGRAPHS.
GOSSIP is The circulating medium
with which the laxative portion
Of the community gets paid for it's hard
work.
Often a mischief maker is merely a
born boss in a subordinate position.
the only thing that youth is incapable
II doing If he works at it long enough.
There are women who can shed tears
las easily and as pathetically as coun-
Nsel for the defense.
Z Ever notice that you never meet any
=: body on the road to ruin?
/, When the labels that they paste on
themselves peel off it is hard to tell
what some people are.
When comfort speaks to them most
men "a understand her 10 matter
what language she uses.
Women are often foolish. but at that
they don't hold any edge over the men.
Moral courage is a good thing. but
don't mistake a tough pachyderm for
IL.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-08-05

One is inclined to wonder if Presi-
dent Thomas Jefferson. riding along on
his old mule. would envy President
William Howard Taft. sailing along in
the navy's yacht Maydower. The mule
was simpler. anyway.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-08-05

AS to the big cities. everybody is out
of town. now-that is. everybody ex-
cept the Industrious people who do the
work Of the world and who constitute
about ninety-nine hundredths of the
total population.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-08-05

That story Of the enumerators who
took tin, census in Alaska when the
temperature was from 81 to 20 degrees
minus makes refreshing reading for
the United States proper just now.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-08-05

The speaker Of the British house of
commons has no power in Legislation
and therefore no troubles such as
Speaker Cannon has experienced. Rut.
then. Speaker Cannon. who IL susceI,-
wig TWO inches thick when he occupies
the chair.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-08-05

None OF the avi;llUrS halls on ircOunr
CT accidents. bnl the public earnestly
hopes that the recent rate of fatalities
is not to be continued.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-08-05
PERT PARAGRAPHS.

If we could recognize our " fool
ishness as easily as we can recognize
that Of our next door neighbor 1t GER
tainly would help NJ
There are people who get on rapidly
in the world because 1t always seems
to them that theirs plus yours equals
theirs.
A thick purse has a long range and
Is easily and accurately aimed.
Loafers are geniuses out of .; job.
There is this one advantage that
death has over t~axes-death never
comes but n
The people who preach what they
practice are rather particular about
their creed.
When In doubt. don't.
The men who doD't have the bills to
pay are the ones who most admire the
fripperies Of women.
There are some delightful people
who simply insist upon enjoying life
for themselves and for you too
Many q man expects bis wife to act
an u sort Of alarm clock TO biz con.
science.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-08-05

That New York man who was bitten
by his pet rattlesnake. to which he was
feeding Il III ought to provide him
self with Il safe and sane mousetrap.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-08-05

The %aeroplane shows you how to rise
in life. but it's all off when it comes to
picking a place to fall.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-08-05

Regarded merely as Il peril. it is
much easier to dodge Il coming aero
plane than it is TO dodge a motorcycle.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-08-05

England isn't SO ancient. after all.
They've just been celebrating the cen
tennial Of the town Of Bournemouth
over there and made u great to do
about 1t.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-08-05

A news story tells Of mosquitoes
bad ae bees Much worse. Let a bee
alone and IL il glad to r%eciprocate.
And the mosquito is too busy TO make
honey.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-08-05

The newest calling card has the fam
lly pedigree princeton the back. why
not enlarge Il and have the history Of
ones life3