davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-16
THE so-cALLED "GooD OLD DAYS

From Leslie's.
 Workmen fail to realize the tremendous improvement in industrial conditions characterizing the last half century. So marked has been the evolution that 1t might almost be called a revolution. In the office of the Browne & Sharpe Manu- featuring company of Providence. R. l., hangs a copy of the schedule of the hours of labor required by the Providence Ma chine company when MT. Sharpe's father was employed there in 1847-1S4S Except
 during May, June and July, when it be-
 gan at 4:55, work began at sunrise. Work men had their breakfast before begin
 ming the days work only in the months of November, December, January and
 February. During the rest of the year breakfast was served anywhere from 6:3O | to 7:30 and 40 minutes only were allowed for it. Seven o'clock was the average time for ending the days work. While l there was little artificial illumination, and | that inadequate, nevertheless during the short days from November to February
 work was kept up till o'clock. Sixty years ago the hours of factory employ
 ment seemed to have been fashioned after those on the farm, where condi- tions are so different.
 | With the old, wood burning stoves,
 which heated fiercely the area near by,
 but sent little warmth to remoter parts
 of the great rooms with small windows
 affording meager light except on the
 brightest days, and with no ventilation | the sanitary condition 50 years ago fel
 far below those prevailing in a modern
 factory. At present, too, men receive 8
 much higher wage for a much shorter
 period of work; but here it is hard tc
 make an equitable comparison, as the
 purchasing power of money was differ
 ent then from what it is now. The want.
 of the workingmen were far simpler 5 years ago than they are today. He nov
 lives upon a higher plane in every wa,
 and is able to give his children goot
 education, thus giving them a start il | life that makes for success. In the abo | lition of child labor and of hard worl | for women, in the introduction, too, O. safety devices, much has yet to be ac
 complshed; but the lot of the workmer of today marks a big advance over wha i- was the middle of the last century
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-16

the new coast defenses, for which Con- gress had provided at enormous cost. But little or no heed was paid to the recommendations of officers for an in- crease until our war with Spain. The unpreparedness of the United States was then manifest to the world. Had that war been a more serious affair this coun- try would not have whipped the enemy so easily.
 When the army was reorgan1zed py Secretary of War Elihu Root 1t was placed on a sliding scale of enlisted strength. According to last years report the army consisted of 4209 officers and 7s,7S2 enlisted men, exclusive of the provisional forces and hospital corps. I am expecting to see the enlisted strength increased to about 125, O00.''
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-16
heavens Fall on their heads like dew!
 -Cymbeline.
In Her pinety-SeCOld Year

Alabama will be 100 years old on December II, 1919, and the public schools throughout the state are each year increasing interest in the states centenary. The event will indeed be worthy of great celebration. The story of century will then be re- called and retold.
 What the states centennial celebra- ton shall be remains undefined, but it is plain that If there is to be an ex- position it should be held in the states chief city. Montgomery Is the capital of the state, but it was not the capital 100 years ago.
 The legislature would do well to name an honorary and unpaid com mission to prepare plan of celebration in 1919 to be reported to the legislature that meets in January 1915. The legis- lature of January, 1919, would meet too late to prepare an appropriate eel ebration. A commission appointed this winter would have four years in which to think the matter over, and they should and doubtless would be able to submit satisfactory report In 1915.
 Alabama stands ready to celebrate her centenary, and the legislature should promote the event.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-16
All Seats In ths Supreme Court Filled

The new justices of the supreme court will have to hear the appeals in the to- bacco and Standard Oil trust cases, for 1t is agreed that full bench is needful when these far-reaching cases come up.
 How the court will decide them it Is difficult to say. When the Northern Se- curities case was heard Justices Harlan McKenna and Day held that the Jim Hill consolidation was violation of the anti trust or Sherman law. Justices White and Holmes held to the contrary. Justices Lurton and Van Devanter are both on record in trust cases, both inclining to views of the government Justices Hughes and Lamar have no record in antitrust cases.
 All nine are excellent lawyers, but there are two sides in all antitrust cases. There is room for individual bias, as the decision in the Northern Securities case plainly shows. Wall street welcomes Ed ward D. White to the chief justiceship, but no one knows how he will apply the law in any given case.
 The membership of the court is now complete, and every seat in it is filled by man of high character and ability. The country will trust the court as it stands and will await its decisions of the anti trust cases with confidence that justice will be done.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-16
E. TOYS FEATURES

w. M Reedy in the St. Louis Mirror.
 The mournful face of MT. Eddie Foy will finger in memory after the morn commonplace things of this crass age have passed into oblivion. Foy's frivol- ity is not only the quaintest on the stage today. but 1t is absolutely or ieina1, inimitable, bauble which Foy himself is able to dangle with exactly the right degree of abandon. The gro- tesque drollery and the pantomimic ef- fects are always, the same, always fa- miliar. yet always give you the impress sion of something you have not seen before. This comedian is truly a great actor-he has dozens of imitators, none who can approach him in his own de- lectable field. A large percentage of the vaudeville specialties with which we are greeted in such abundance these days can be traced directly to the or iginal inspiration of MT. D. Foy.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-16
IN HOTEL LOBBLES
sinews for Important Warfare

I
 s'No man can make better Christmas
 present than a gift of not less than dollar for Red Cross stamps said one
 who takes special interest in the hght being waged against tuberculosis. "Thess little stamps are now on sale downtown
 and we should remember that by buy ing a dollars worth of them we may be making some poor man a present Of his life. Could we possibly make Christ mas gift that would be more highly appreciated?
 Do you remember the report issued some time ago which stated that one out of every three deaths in Birmingham among negroes is caused by tuberculosis and one out of every five deaths among whites is due to the same cause? With such a condition around us we should bear in mind that this Red Cross mat ter is not simply a charity but Is per haps a matter of self preservation. l hope when I come down town Friday that I will find every man who passes these ladies buying stamps. The individual. amounts are not so much, but if each one will do his part the total will give the anti-tuberculosis fighters the sinews of war for a battle which Is becoming more and more worth while.'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-16
STAGE TYPES
From the Chicago Herald.

From the Chicago Record-Herald.
 The stage Irishman has brought out protests from the Celt. The stage Jew has brought out protests from the He- brew. A third sufferer now joins them the New England woman, who is tired of stage portrayals of the down east spin ster
 The National Society of New England Women, with headquarters in New York, has begun crusade against the familiar burlesque creature of corkscrew curls and twang. There are countless New England plays," says the indignant so- ciety, "yet who ever saw real New England woman on the stageT'
 As stage types crystalline, such com plaints are likely to become still more frequent. After the racial protests will rnagnates will file their objections; the reporters; the commercial travellers; the club women; perhaps even the "adven- turesses," with their cigarettes and cock tails.
 q do not pay you to think, but to write," once said a certain employer of literary labor. q do not pay you to ob- serve, but to act" might seem to be the word of the average manager to his per formers. So long as these blink life and are content to pattern after one another the "copy-cat'' will thrive, well-worn grooves will be worn deeper still. types will stiffen into rigidity and complaints from the front will multiply.
 The New England woman should moi regard herself as an isolated victim There are others. and she might join with them in trying to freshen up the actors outlook on life and to wait a little ozone across the dusty purieus oi the stage.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-16
 STOICISM

Those close-lipped souls, in grief we'll
 versed, who walk the ways of
 silence
 And whom the whirling wheels of time
 bring nothing more to fear, Have won away from petty cares, the
 bangs of sighted fortune,- Have learned at last how vain a trick ii
 is to shed a tear. Unmoved at heart, whate'er befalls, if
 good or bad, no matter Sunshine and storm still quite the same,
 or winters rule and summer; A thorn-strewn path but breeds con
 tempt, each days reversal scorning, This life at best a masquerade and man
 himself hummer.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-16
FIRST TO SIGHT THE ALABAMA From the Springfield Republican.

George A. Read, 73. congressional, medal of honor seaman of the Civil war, Is dead at the soldiers home in Bristol. R. I. He was one of the crew of the Kearsarge at the time of its battle with the Confederate cruiser Alabama off the coast of France during the closing days of the war To him is accorded the honor of having first discovered the Confed- crate vessel as she slowly drifted out from her anchorage under the cliffs of Cherbourg to prepare for the battle Read ran to the officer of the deck and gave the word, and immediately the Kearsarge was prepared for action.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-16
An Ambitions Fireman

q was surprised, and yet delighted the ether day. said w. L. Brennan, who has a contract for the diamond drilling for the Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad company. We were drilling about seven miles below Bessemer when I noticed that one of the firemen, who had charge of a boiler was doing more than the required amount of work each day. with about half as much coal as the others used.
 T finally asked him how he accom- plished 1t, and he stated: I have nearly completed a course in firing boilers with the International Correspondence School : If I could get all my fremen to study this course it would reduce our fuel bill one half"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-16
NEWSPAPERS HoAxED

From the Atchfson Globe. -
 A London man recently made bet of f100 that the American newspapers would print anything sent out by cable A cablegram was sent out saying that a tin can had been tied to a rabbits tail, in. London church. and that in attempting to catch the rabbit several people were injured. The American pa pers generally printed the fool story, and copyrighted 1t. As a rabbit has no tail, of course. no can was tied to a rabbits tail in London.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-16

Jim Jill should take a day off to study the annual report of Tama Jim Wilson, Secretary of Agriculture. and
 protector and guardian of benzoate of soda.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-16
purrECTIONs OF A BACHELOR

From the New York Press.
 one reason so many people stay mar ried Is they have to.
 You might like your enemies If they were in their graves.
 /The more a widow knows about men the more she acts as if she had to learn it.
 Everybody seems to have a lot to do about running the government but the voters.
 It takes woman with blister on her foot from a tight shoe to smile sweetly as If 1t were diamond sun burst in her hair. -
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-16

An aero speed of S7 miles an hour would enable a traveller to breakfast in Birmingham and dine in Chicago But why he should go to Chicago would still stand unexplained.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-16

Chief Justice White was 65 years old last month. Jay was A, Rutledge 56, Ellsworth 30, Marshall 46, Fancy 59. Chase 5e. Watts 5s, and Fuller 55. when first appointed.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-16
EXEMPT

From the Chicago Tribune.
 We have it on the authority of w. F. H. that a Milwaukee plain clothes policeman flashed his star in church when the plates was passed.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-16

America now counts It's people in nine numbers. and it is bearing the loss of ". Waldorf Astor and J. Hazen Hyde with great equanimity.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-16

A Brazilian naval revolt is not much more serious than a French duel.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-16
INUENDO

From the Chattanooga Times. Birmingham will never be able to un- derstand why the Filipinos were not counted in the census.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-16

Ex-King Manuel Is hard up. He did not save while he had a good job.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-16

Indiana still claims to be the cen- ter of population and literature.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-16

The Right Hon. A. J. Balfour is an- other man who cannot come back to power. He stands discredited even in his own party.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-16

The New Jersey papers consider James E. Maritime the original psy- chological moment kid.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-16

Augusta, Ga, fired 100 guns in honor of Jonathan Miller, who had just at tained his centenary. It honored itself when 1t did so.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-16

Brazil's navy Is aching to produce before the capital city a Fourth of July on short notice.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-16

After all 1t Is better to have winter in the winter season. We want none of it next spring when the violets are blooming.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-16

Brazil should congratulate herself that her navy isn't any bigger.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-16
BAD FOR FACES.

'When he saw me his face fell" Good heavensi That was awful" ''Say, what are you getting so excited about?"
 Didn't you say just now that you were both walking on an asphalt pavement?"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-16

Arizona may have the initiative but Congress and MT. Taft have a tail hold on the referendum.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-16

George W. Perkins will now have time to count his money and even to tabulate his wealth.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-16

The exchange table looks natural on it.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-16
MARY's LITTLE DANCE

MARY'S LITTLE DANCE. Mary had a little dance, ''Salome" was It's name, And everywhere that Mary went The cops forbade the same.
 Springfield Union. But Mary didn't let herself Betray the least surprise; She merely murmured. with smile, Tt pays to advertise"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-16
Strength of Regular Army

"A regular army. even when compara- lively small, is one of the most ex- rensive departments of any government. and 1t is notably expensive in the United States, where officers and men are all well paid,' said man who was once in close touch with military affairs. And now that our coast defenses need further strengthening, Congress will be called upon to largely increase military appro- priatons.
 For many years following the civil war the army's maximum strength of enlisted men vase 25.0O0. but 1t was sell dom above 2,0OO or 23.00O. In the eighties prominent army officers urged an increase from 25,00o up to 35.O0O The late General Schofeld stressed the fact that the little army of 25,ooo did not begin to be sus- heent to allow an adequate manning oi
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-16

Some seem to think that Mary Gar den Is partial to little publicity now and then.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-16

West Virginia should let a few va cancies go unimproved by refusing to enter Henry Gassaway Davis for them.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-16

So many people are studying Mayor SeideI of Milwaukee he feels like a fly under a microscope.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-16

No automobile for Santa Claus is wanted up north. The sleighing Is good.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-16

Aldrich is ~ iedly opposed to any revision of dd on rubber.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-16
A REAL PHILANrHRop1sr

A REAL Pf1lllANIHROPlST. 9t "A rich man who gave away s7000 worth of drinks Is dead" 4 Greatly mourned2" Yes; and sincerely mourned. He
 didn't Insist that the recipients of his bounty raise s7Oo0 more for drinks" PROBABLY. While we haven't heard, As we go to press, King Alphonsos still --s-.-.s On the job, we guess THE LIMIT. While Scroog. as the readers of Dick ems surmise, Was a thoroughly mean old scamp. He wasn't much worse than the fellow who tries To borrow a Red Cross stamp. NOT WORRYING. "An optimist, you say?"
 Sure. He hasn't done his Christmas
 shopping yet, and still he wears
 smile" A SAD BLOW.
 "T. R. doesn't seem to be much
 hurt"
 Break the news gently to Dear
 Maria" PAUL COOK.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-16
A SORE ENTERTAINMENT

A SORE DISAPPOINTMENT. ! E.
 We like, to say nice things about the shows when we can, and there are a lot of nice things to say about Stowe's Uncle Toms Cabin which was at the opera house Monday night, but they had no dogs, and what's an Uncle Toms Cabin show without dogsa Little Eva died and went to heaven in a blaze of glory and the audience cried about It. but there were no dogs. uncle Tom lived his heroic life and died nis heroic death, but they had no dogs. Eliza suffered and fled, but we didn't see any dogs. Lawyer Marks was an exquisite combination of funny man and Villain. aLegree and Cou- sin Ophelia both fitted their parts and played them well, but we missed the dogs. The Kentucky Quaker was all. right and the music was worth the price of admission, if they'd only had some dogs. They even had the nerve to mention the dogs and then not bring them in. Anybody who missed the sh ow last Monday night missed a lot of good things. but everybody who went missed the dogs." ftt
 Mound City Jeffersonian
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-16
ADRIFT WITH THE TIMES

"so he did, but Twiggs made big mistake when he first got out there by trying to get line on a rampant steer.''
 ON THE OTHER HAND. M
 The GLADDEST words ' tf Are now and then Those selfsame words ''It might have been" sk
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-16
Discusses Passenger Business

c. D. Wayne, assistant general passen- ger agent for the Seaboard Air Line rail- road. was In Birmingham yesterday. He held conference with Capt. Jack w. Johnson and others and left yesterday afternoon for Atlanta
 The passenger business during the year just closing has been better than in many | seasons" said MT. Wayne. "The year 1910 started out well and has held up with remarkable vitality. The travellers to the east this year have been larger in num- Der than ever before, and those during this holiday season outnumber any season of recent years. The Seaboard is now hauling and expects to continue to haul a great number of holiday seekers. The passenger receipts of all lines will be fine this year.
 '"The opening of the Pennsylvania rail- | road station in New York was a great | thing for Birmingham" continued MT. | wayne. Tt signalled to the world that all trains operating from this city must be as well equipped as the best of the Penn sylvania trains. or that they could not
 go into the tubes This has resulted in
 the seaboard equipping its trains withsall-
 steel cars and diners. Our trains are now
 superior to any that have ever been op-
 eiated on our line. We propose to con-
 tnue to add to our equipment and ser vice.
 | The next few months will probably
 witness some wide changes in railroad
 operations down in this country. We have
 recently taken under consideration oui
 schedules, and it is probable that we will
 arrange matters so our trains will reach
 Atlanta and New York even sooner thar
 they do now. Our present schedule is
 faster to the east than any other line
 operating for a like distance. Condition,
 are fine and perhaps never looked better
 in railroad circles down in this country.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-16
HARD TO LAsso.

"So Twiggs has had enough of ranch life?'
 "Yes" ''He told us when he left that 1t would not take long to get a line on the west"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-16
MAKING A TOIJcH.

MAhINT "A IOUCH. A man may lead a thrifty life And still beg money from his wife. Oh, pitiful to hear him holler For her to lend him just a dollar!
 Birmingham Age-Herald. A man may have a thrifty wife And hold his money like his life Until she has to grab his collar To force from him single dollar.
 Youngstown Telegram.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-16
QUITTING TIME

He wouldn't watch the clock Not one in sight, you know; But often listened long
 To hear the whistle blow.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-16
PLENTY OF OTHERS.

He must be hard-working man." 1'Why so?'
 His face Is always dirty That isn't significant when a person lives in Birmingham"
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-07-12
NEW TYPE OF FIRE
ENGINE is ORDERED

Chief Bennett of the fire department
said yesterday afternoon that the de-
partment had ordered a motor driven
steam fire engine. The machine Is to
be delivered next December and will
be the only machine of its kind in
the United States Chief Bennett said
that New York city had ordered one of
the engines also to try out but their
machine will not be delivered until
after the one that comes to Birming
ham.
The new engine will be like the pres
ent upright steam fire engine except
that instead of horses it will be driven
by motor power. The pumping ap-
paratus will be run by the steam en-
CINE and it will be fired with coal as
are the present ones. The only diff
ference is the elimination of the horse
power to get the machine to the fire.
1t is believed that the new apparatus
will be a great improvement over the
present horse power steam fire engine
and also over the automobile engine
with it's pump propelled by the cars
gas engine, commonly called the auto
mobile fire engine.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-07-12
TALK OF CHANGES
IN TEAM MANAGERS

Mobile, July 1L-(Special. Word that
reaches this city pretty straight from
Memphis is that a syndicate of capital
lists in Memphis stands ready to purchase
the Memphis franchise and club If George
Reed can be secured as manager to sue
coed Charley Babb. The Mobile magnates
profess to know nothing about it. At any
rate it is not likely they would think of
letting Reed go before the end of the
season.
President Colsson said tonight that
there was positively nothing in the re-
port of Demont managing the Mobile
team next year. Whatever may be the
ideas of some of Mr. Colsson's fellow
stockholders it is not believed he favors
Demont as a manager and sentiment OF
baseball fans heard everywhere is that
Demont is not the man Mobile wants.
Complaint comes from Memphis of poor
attendance Reed got but 81 more than
the guarantee. Sunday and Monday S
crowd fell short of guarantee figures
The reelase of Hickman started story
here that New Orleans would recall Barr.
President Colsson says Manager Frank
has not indicated TO him that he wants
Barr back.