davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington herald., 1911-08-15
CURIOUS BITS OF HISTORY.
BY A. w. MACY.

A FIRE-FIGHTING INVENTOR.
John Lofting, a citizen of Lon
don in the latter part of the
eighteenth century, had a pas
sion for fighting fires. Though
never a member of the fire de-
partment, he always responded
to an alarm, and was usually one
of the first to arrive on the scene.
He rendered efficient service. but
would accept no pay. He has
another and more substantial
claim to distinction, however. He
was a metal worker by trade,
and in 1892 he invented a con-
trivance to protect the thumb
while sewing. 1t was a sort of
bell-shaped cup, hence it was
called a thumb bell. In the course
of time this was changed into
the more euphonious "thimble."
The article is now worn on one
of the fingers while sewing, in
stead of>on, the thumb as for
merly. though sailors stick to
the old custom. Lofting was
granted a patent for a machine
to make thumb BELLS" and he
established a factory at Isling-
ton, near London. Whether he
still continued to fight fires his
tory does not say; but he made
money, and laid the foundation
of a fortune which his descend
ants are enjoying to this day.
COPYRIGHT, 1911. BY Joseph B. Bowles)
To-morrow-aTinc First
Visit to Chicago"
The Washington herald., 1911-08-15
A Blot Upon Pennsylvania.

The terrible tragedy at Coatesville is
a blot upon the fair name of Pennsyl-
vania. Gov. Tener will, in sense, be
4 party to the outrage if he does not
use effective endeavor in bringing to
Justice the brutal murderers of Ezekiel
Walker
1t is true that the negro who met his
cruel death at the hands of an angry
mob was himself a murderer. This
does not exculpate or justify the con-
duct of the men who burned him. In
due course of time the law would have
taken its course, and he would have
paid the penalty. To wreak their ven
eeance upon him, the mob took the law
into its own hands. and brought dis
grace upon the community and upon
the nation.
Theodore Roosevelt. then President
o. the United States. wrote letter to
Gov. Durbin. of Indiana, on August E,
1903. in which he said:
Whoever in any part of our coun-
try has ever taken part in lawlessly
putting to death criminal by the dread
ful torture OF fire must forever after
have the awful spectacle of his own
handiwork scared into his brain and
soul. He can never again be the same
man
While this is true, the fact remains
that these men must not be left to suf-
fer only the punishment of remorse.
As Mr. Roosevelt said in the same
communication, the nation suffers
through deeds of lawlessneSs and brutal
violence committed within its borders
When the law is defed or evaded, we
weaken our civilization and invite an
archy
The entire country looks to Pennsyl-
vania to atone for the terrible event,
which, even when punishment has been
rigidly dealt to the offenders, will re-
main dark and bloody stain upon its
escutcheon.
The Washington herald., 1911-08-15
SENATOR BOURNE'S
VERY LATEST IDEA
He Wants Supreme Court De-
cisi0ns to Be Unanimous.

Senator Jonathan Bourne walked the
constitutional lions Of the Senate yester-
day when he introduced a bill ito provide
rules for speedy and final decisions of
questions concerning the constitutionality
of national and State laws and constitu-
tional provisions, and for the interpreta-
ton and construction of the Federal laws
and Constitution
Under this imposing title the Bourne
bill requires a unanimous decision of the
Supreme Court to declare an act uncon-
stitutional. Another requirement of the
bill was that acts should be construed lit
orally. The bill requires inferior tri-
bunals to certify constitutional questions
to the Supreme Court forthwith for ac-
tion. Such questions are to be certified
In advance of the trial of the cases out
of which they grow. and the Supreme
Court Is authorized to advance them to
speedy hearing.
When Senator Bourne's bill was read
and condemned II in unmeasured Ian
guage. Other defenders of the Constitu-
ton and time-honored government forms
rallied to the support of Senator Hey
burn, and legal fireworks exploded in
plenty.
Senator Hepburn denounced the pro-
posed scheme as "a cross between populism
and anarchy, as dangerous as the out
RACES of the Black Hand and the mob, and
designed to destroy the confidence of the
people in their institutions and this gov
ernment."
The Washington herald., 1911-08-15
Queer Administration.

When, in a department of the gov
ernment, an official can distort and
change a judicial decision without re-
buke; when official papers can be re-
vised to suit personal ends; when en-
ployes, including young women, can be
locked up with Secret Service men and
subjected to the third degree, and when
the machinery of the department can
be used to nullify law intended to
protect the public against impure food
it would seem as if an opportunity for
reform is presented
And yet the evidence adduced during
the investigation of the Department OF
Agriculture has shown these things to
exist.
The Washington herald., 1911-08-15
Identifying. Voters.

A committee of seventy, at Philadel-
phia, has undertaken the task of CON-
piling an identifying card index of the
261 900 voters of that city, with the OBJ
ject of aiding materially in checking
frauds at the polls While this is
greatly to be commended, yet it does
not seem right that body of private
citizens should be burdened with such
mammoth task Conditions similar to
those which prompted the committee to
take drastic, if much needed, action
exist in many cities, and the dissatis-
faction over the safeguards for elections
provided by the law is growing apace.
1t appears that New Jersey has made
move in the right direction by asking
every voter to sign his name on reg
istering and again when he votes at
an election, as a means of identification.
The great majority of voters are
honest, and may resent this seeming
questioning of their integrity. They
may protest against what they would
term an indignity upon their right of
free franchise. Yet, experience has
proved the necessity of these precau-
tions, and progress toward reform will
continue until the purity of the ballot
has been accomplished.
The Washington herald., 1911-08-15
Correcting an Abuse.

The Retail Merchants Association
this fall will celebrate the close of its
first years existence and experience.
While its efforts lave not been brought
before the general public, as have been
the civic endeavors of the parent body,
the Chamber of Commerce, that work,
nevertheless, has been of the greatest
importance to the merchants of the city
and to the public.
In a recent issue of the Dry Goods
Economist the work of the association
is described as having resulted in the
saving to its members of many times
the amounts they have paid in dues.
This saving has been effected by the
reduction of the demands upon the
merchants for contributions and dona-
tions which are, in sense, unreason-
able All such solicitations have been
referred by members to the executive
committee of the association, where
they were carefully considered and ap-
proved or disapproved according to
their merits and justice The records
show that such solicitation has been
reduced since the merchants have COM
bined against these abuses.
The merchants of this city are gen.
erous and public-spirited. and if they
found it necessary to take protective
measures it was only because the de-
mands upon them had reached a point
which passed the limit of endurance
The Washington herald., 1911-08-15
GOING BEFORE THE COUNTRY.
Other Matters at Stake as Well as
the Arbitration Treaties.

Editor The Washington Herald:
President Taft threatens to go before
the country on the issue OF the arbitra-
tior treaties. OF course, this would stir
up interest and might result in such
pressure as to force the Senate to pass
the treaties unamended
Does President Taft also intend to go
before the country with the Wiley case?
Disclosures from day to day make the
best kind of material for the Democratic
spellbinders. and the whole matter will
do more to put a Democrat into the
White House than the Ballinger-Pinchot
affair did in the election Of Democratic
House of Representatives.
President Taft is to be admired for his
loyalty to his subordinates; but is not
the nation as a whole more to be con-
sidered than some departmental head?
And in the case OF foreign treaties, is
1t not better to have the support of the
Senators than that of European diplo-
mats? Loyalty to a cause does not mean
to close ones eyes to the opinion of
others equally capable of judging and
weighing results.
There are always two sides to a ques-
ton. and a man of the judicial tempera-
ment Of President Taft should be the
first to realize this. Apparently, in the
cases now at issue, he is carried away
by sentiment. DIR. II. N. CADY.
Washington, August Il
The Washington herald., 1911-08-15
Berlin Never Sleeps.

From the New York Herald.
This is the city which never sleeps and
has long since outdistanced all it's Euro
pean rivals as a city of night life. In
addition to its all-night cafes, daybreak
restaurants and eight theaters which
only open their doors at midnight, Ber-
lin has now a magnificent bathing es-
tablishment. which is open every hour
in the twenty-four. The newly built
Admirals Bad in the Friedrichstrasse,
which has just opened, is one OF the
finest bathing establishments in all Ger
many. Its swimming baths, for both
ladies and gentlemen, are respondent in
the finest majolica marble and beveled
glass, while its Roman and Turkish
baths are more than Oriental in their
luxury. A small army of masseurs and
attendants is constantly, on duty, and
the great doors Of the establishment are
never closed. Attached to the baths Is
large, up-to-date restaurant, where
Berlin night habitues. after enjoying a
swim at 3 o'clock in the morning, may
be seen eating an early breakfast III
their bathing dress.
The Washington herald., 1911-08-15
Jealous of HE Reputation.


Terrible as it is to be slain in battle,
there is but one thing the soldier fears
worse. declares veteran. That is to
miss the honor of taking part in a great
battle and to die ingloriously at home
when his country needs him. An ar.
tilleryman from Michigan brought this
out during the civil war.
The man had only Just gone to the
front and had seen no real fghting. One
day while on the march he fell and was
run over by the gun carriage. He was
SO badly crushed that sorely against his
will he had to be furloughed and sent
home.
While he lay in bed under. the doc
tors care the battle Of Gettysburg was
fought. The man feared he would die.
and keenly regretted that since he must
go 1t could not have been on that glorious
held. He called upon the doctor to hear
his last request.
Doctor, II go promise me this. Ny
stone shall bear these words: KILLED
at Gettysburg In the front Of battle
But you weren't" objected the ply
sician.
II know. But It wasn't my fault. n
you can't say that. then say: KILLED
at osttysburg-during temporary ah-
ssnes st Hroeknsid. Hass'
The Washington herald., 1911-08-15
Preventable Railroad Accidents.

We learn from the latest accident
bulletin of the Interstate Commerce
Commission that the rear-end collision
on the New York Central near Ba-
tavia, ~ Y, last winter may have been
due to an attack of epilepsy suffered
by the engineer, which made him un-
conscious for about ten minutes. In
this condition, the bulletin says. he
passed two automatic signals set against
his further progress There is a rule
on that road compelling the fireman to
address the driver as they approach each
block signal, to. make sure that the lat
tel is alert and attending to his duties.
Being busy shoveling coal, the fireman
forgot the injunction, with the result
that neither the unconscious engineer
nor his assistant was aware that the
train was approaching the station at a
high rate of speed until it crashed into
another train ahead of it.
Engineers and hremen will be at
tackled by brain fag now and then.
Drowsiness or attention to other duties
may cause them to overlook signal, or
to see it altogether wrong. The Rail-
way Age Gazette tells of an engineer
in England who, on four-track road,
got the impression that he was on the
passenger track, whereas he travelled on
the freight track This might not have
resulted fatally, but the man in his alb
sentmindedness went so far as to OBJ
serve and obey, the signals on the pas
senger track, instead of those set for
him on the track upon which his train
was running.
Automatic signals, in fact, all kinds
Of automatic devices, are in great favor
with railroad people. These of neces-
sity must have some human power OF
intelligence supplementing them. and the
gr6atest care cannot insure the break
ing down of the human body unexpeet-
edly and often at a critical moment
Another man in the cab, uncncumbercc
by any duty. has often been proposed
No doubt such man would have pre-
The Washington herald., 1911-08-15
HANDs0MEsT GIRL TO WED.
King Edward Said Miss Steele Was
Most Beautiful Woman.

From the San Francisco Chronicle.
Miss Muriel Steele, the California girl
whom King Edward declared the most
beautiful woman he had ever seen. and
applied to her the 'epithet Of "divinely
tall and most divinely rair," will in
September marry ]. Wesley Gallagher,
of Philadelphia, manager for the steel
corporation in Shanghai China
1t was while Miss Steele was visiting
in England two years ago that she met
and became engaged to Mr.. Gallagher,
but the romantic attachment was kept
secret until recently.
The Washington herald., 1911-08-15
BRISTOL TO WASHINGTON.
Promise That the Highway VIII
Be Built in Two Years.

Be Built in Two Years.
From the Bristol Herald-Courier.
The full significance Of the organtza-
ton in Bristol Friday Of the Bristol-to-
Washington Highway Association is al
ready realized by the press Of Tennes-
see and Virginia and has met with the
full Endorsement OF the press of Virginia
and Washington City. This high
way gives every assurance OF ear
ly overshadowing in the public
mind other great systems planned in the
United States, for the reason that
Its completion is a task Of evident at
tainment, and because, by connecting at
Bristol with the Bristol-to- Memphis
highway, 1t will offer a continuous rock
road Of standard construction connect
ing Washington with the Mississippi
River, where the line of Tennessee and
Mississippi meet that great water high
way.
Especially cordial is the feeling Of
newspapers and public men in Virginia
who are not located directly along any
Of the possible routes to be followed
by this road. Thinking men appreciate
that the construction of the road and
the subsequent conversion Of the high
way into a national boulevard, reaching
from the Potomac across the entire State
will mean the building Of innumerable
lateral lines into every section even now
the most remote parts of Virginia So that
when the Bristol Board of TIade, which
is already known over the country as
forceful organization of tireless men,
gave birth to the Bristol-te Washington
highway proposition, it spoke at the
psychological moment. for the public has
caught on amazingly and with proper
and timely announcement this great
military and post pike will be one of the
notable achievements OF Virginia within
the next two years.
The Washington herald., 1911-08-15
why Austrias

From the Chicago Evening Post.
We do not know. we cannot conceive.
in truth, what Austria wants with
maps Of our forts and with rosters Of
our regiments. Years ago-so long In
the past that perhaps no man living re-
members tive had furry with the
Austrisns. A Yankee gunboat captain,
name forgotten. threatened TO blow
Trieste or some other place out Of the
empire into kingdom oosne unless some
thing, now also forgotten. was done, and
done quick. The something was done,
and there has been no occasion since TO
fear that ambassadors were to be or
dered home and broadsides were to roar.
The Washington herald., 1911-08-15
HOME NEWS WHILE AWAY

To keep in touch with home
news washingtonians leaving the
city should not fail to have Tho
Washington Herald mailed to
them. 1t will be sent promptly,
and addresses may be changed as
often as desired without inter-
ruption of service.
Mail order or phone Main $500,
giving the old and new addresses.
The Washington herald., 1911-08-15
CHAMPION LETTER SORTER.
Frisco Clerk Puts 2,346 Cards Into
IT Boxes in 81 Minutes.

From the San Francisco Call
Glove NJ. Tore, clerk in the San
Francisco main post-office. is the cham
pion letter distributor OF the world.
In an exhibition Tore broke the record
by sorting 2,346 cards with no errors in
81 minutes. This is an average of IA
cards a minute. This mail was thrown
into seventeen different compartments.
When Tore had finished, the judges,
Postmaster Fisk and Assistant Postmas-
ter Burke, found that Tore had not
even one card in a wrong compartment.
To illustrate how quick Torres work
was" said Burke, try to separate the
red from the black cards in a playing
deck in one minute and you will find It
almost impossible"
The Washington herald., 1911-08-15
FAvoRs CHnDRENs BUREAU.
Borah Reports BIZ I'm Senate, and

Borah Reports Bill in Senate, and
II Goes ON Calendar.
A bill to establish children's bureau
in the Department OF Commerce and
Labor was yesterday reported favorably
from the Senate Committee on Educa-
tion and Labor by Chairman Borah.
The bill requires the commissioner of
the new bureau to Investigate and gath
er Information as to all subjects relat-
ing to child life. accidents, mortality,
dangerous employments, as well as to
child delinquents and Juvenile courts.
Activity In behalf of the bill has been
marked by women's clubs throughout
the country, and 1t Is reported to have
the Endorsement Of the National Civic
Federation. The measure was placed on
the Senate calendar.
The Washington herald., 1911-08-15
AIR SERPENT DISCOVERED.
Aviator GoOdale Descends Scare
Speechless NV New Mop.fer

Aviator Goodale Descends Scared
Speechless by n New Monster.
From the Nev York American.
Frank Goodale, who flies his own air
ship nightly over Palisades Park. may
go down into history as the discoverer
of the air serpent. He came down last
night with his hair on end and scared
speechless.
When he recovered he said that at
height of 1000 feet he was attacked by a
long green thing that had two great
wings and seemed to come out of a
cloud. He was saved by the search
light that was trained on him. for the
creature seemed to fear the light and
retreated at once to his lair. wherever
that was.
The Washington herald., 1911-08-15

The thanks Of the people of Washing
ton are due to Mr.. and Mrs. Henry F.
Blount for the generous gift Of 5000
feet of ground. taken from their estate,
The Oaks" for the purpose Of widen
ing the beautiful driveway known as
Lovers Lane. Either the road would
have remained at its present width or
the District would have been put to the
cost of acquisition through condemna-
ton. In their unselhsh action Mr.. and
Mrs. Blount have demonstrated a civic
spirit which deserves high praise and
which offers an example worthy Of emu
lation
The Washington herald., 1911-08-15
Kite Flying to BE Allowed.
Would Save Seal Herds.

Representative Rothermel, of Penn
sylvania, chairman of the House Com
mittee on Expenditures in the Depart
ment Of Commerce and Labor, yester-
day introduced a resolution declaring II
to be the sense Of the House Of Repre-
sentatives that the Secretary Of Com
merce and Labor suspend all killing
of fur seals on the seal islands Of Alas
ka for commercial purposes for fifteen
wears from date"
The Washington herald., 1911-08-15
An Umpire Might Do.

From the ST. Paul Dispatch.
Germany is to have a great naval re-
view at Kiel on September s, at which
l4O vessels will be assembled. Why not
have umpires who saw the recent cor
onation parade present to decide whether
the Kaiser or King George Is winner,
and stop further thought of sinking each
others boats to find out?
The Washington herald., 1911-08-15
AS OTHERS SEE IT.

From the Houston Post.
An Oklahoma sheriff poured l5o barrels
of beer in the gutter. the accumulation
of six months raids. AS we understand
1t, the beer factories have managed. to
make enough during the six months the
sheriff has been at work to replace
the conflscated juice.
From the Kansas City Times
The hot wave refuses to abate, but 1t
cannot be denied that the esteemed fore
caster gives the public all the encourage
ment possible.
From the Topeka Capital
Our notion of an ideal arrangement Is
the one between the San Francisco cou-
pie who lived together seven years with
out speaking to each other.
From the Baltimore Sun.
The New Jersey gentleman that called
Gov Wilson a liar and an migrate
was kicked out so hard the other day
that so far as known he hasn't yet landed
anywhere in particular.
From the Deseret Evening News
Let him be called Admirable Togo.
Can love die?" asks budding young
poet. 1t cannot; it cannot. But. then.
it gets dreadfully adjourned occasionally.
From the Chicago Record Herald
A man who is worth more than 1,-
900. 900 can get any commonplace remark
accepted as an epigram.
From the Boston Herald.
Shades of the Pilgrim Fathers be ap-
peased. New England manufactured
nearly s3s.0Oo,0Oo worth Of jewelry in a
single year.
From the Topeka Capital.
The lesson of Togo's visit seems to be
that a fighting man still attracts more
attention than a dove with an olive
branch In its beak.
From the Rochester Herald.
Talking against annexation gives many
a dead and forgotten Canadian politician
a chance for resurrection. Refinement
will probably take place on or about
September q.
From the Pittsburs Post.
Just now the chauffeurs appear to have
the inside Of the running. In Chicago
one Of the fraternity has married a
divorcee ten years his senior and gets
control of 100000
From the Philadelphta Record.
It is not a pleasant reflection for the
millionaires of the wire trust that they
have narrowly escaped the ignominious
penalty of the Jail. They will begin
to think that this is not free country.
From the Chicago Record Herald.
Henri Bernstein, the French drama
tist, has just won his third duel by
scratching his opponent twice on the
arm. Winning a French duel is fully
croquet.
From the Atlanta Georgian.
A news dispatch tells Of a girl stopping
a runaway horse with a white parasol.
The dispatch Is very incomplete, how
ever. for it fails to state whether or not
the horse was white or whether the
girl had red hair.
From the Cincinnati Commercial Tribune.
The power Of heat in expanding metals
is said to be so great that a steel rail
is longer in August than in January.
Well. speaking of expansion, it is not un-
common to see a schooner OF beer turned
into 2Oo-pound man on a hot evening in
August.
From the Boston Journal.
When you see "X' in front of the
license number OF an automobile in
Massachusetts. set 1t down instantly that
the owner of the car Is a visitor who
has found the old Bay State so charm
ing that he and his family are passing
the summer here.
The Washington herald., 1911-08-15
Mr.. Taft's Course was wise.

From the Ksnsas City star.
President Taft negotiated the reciproc-
ity treaty without waiting for report
from the tariff commission because he
saw a chance to promote trade in de,
gree that would far outweigh any In
cidental minor defects in the measure.
It is incredible that he should not
adopt q similarly wise course In dealing
with the wool bill and the farmsrs' free
list bill VIXEN they come to him Tor
approval.
The Washington herald., 1911-08-15
Wants Four Revenue Cutters.

Representative Adamson, Of Georgia,
chairman of the Commerce Committee OF
the House, yesterday introduced bill
directing the Secretary of the Treasury
to order the construction Of four revenue
cutters.
The Washington herald., 1911-08-15

San Francisco is justified in protesting
against exaggerated rumors regarding
the earthquake Of July l. Not brick
was dislodged n the city. and the en-
gineer reports that not q dollars worth
OF damage was done to the 200 buildings
under his charge.
The Washington herald., 1911-08-15

Haiti rebels have agreed to submit to
Presidential election. This is a step
forward. Now let them allow the new
official to serve out his term
The Washington herald., 1911-08-15
Seeing the Town.

Tomorrow you shall see our Public
Library. 1t is a magnificent building 1"
I'll take your word for 1t, old man.
What have you got in the way of a
ball team?'