davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-10-27

The material progress made has not been
more remarkable than the success at
tanned in the inauguration of a new plan
of disciplining societys unfortunate MEM
hers sentenced by the cOurtS-a plan that
is concerned with trying to re-equip them
for useful citizenship.
While appealing directly to the econo
mist and social rcformer, the story of the
founding of the OccoGuan workhouSe is
not without romantic interest A will
derness had to be reclaimed and the men
To whom the task was assigned were
prisoners. Within four months they had
built and equipped the nucleus of an in
stitution which today is capable of
housing and providing employment for
nearly a thousand persons.
With the building program nearing COM
petion attention now is being directed
toward increasing the plants commercial
productivity. Rapid progress in this d.
rection was made during the fiscal year
that ended June 80 last when the earn
ing capacity reached $102O9S. as COM
pared with total expenditure of $1.2.-
$3.50 for maintenance and construction.
District of Columbia officials anticipate
the time when the Occoquan kins will
he able to supply the local government
with all the brick needed by it for con-
Struction work. They believe that the
institution will be more than self-suppOrt-
ing within five years
a further development of the penologi-
cal system is planned for the immediate
future. Much of the success accomplish
ed thus far is attributed to the fact that
bars and cells have practically been
eliminated and the WorkhOuSe inmates
quartered in dormitories that are well
ventilated and conform to every sanitary
requirement. The next step planned is
an amendment of the penal code provid-
ing an indeterminate sentence not to eX-
onH fyUn no
detained until they have been prepared
to return to society as self-supporting and
law-abiding citizens.
With the exception of A similar estab-
liShment at Toronto, Canada, and one at
Berne, Switzerland. the Occoquan work
house is in a class by itself. The sue
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-10-27

Mercury reaches it's greatest distance
cast of the sun the morning Of November
10. The planet is then far below the
celestial equator, and so IL seen at all
can only be detected in the extreme
southwest for short while after sun
set
Venus is rapidly moving out from the
suns rays, passing Jupiter in its east
ward motion on the evening Of Novem-
Der Z. By the end of the month it sets
two and one-half hours after sunset and
may readily be detected in the south
west, low in the twilight glow.
Mars enters the morning sky November
4 Jupiter is drawing rapidly nearer the
sun. though it does not pass to the east
of this body and become morning star
until December IS. Both Of these planets
are in an unfavOrable position for obser-
walton during this month.
Saturn is high in the east. nearly mid
way between the Hyades and the
Pleiades, and presents a beautiful object
for study in telescope of moderate
power. 1t is exactly opposite the sun
land so is due south at midnighD Novem-
Der %.
be seer after midnight from the 14th TO
the 10th of the month. They dart out
ward in all directions across the sky
from the constellation Leo. which is
then we'll up from the ground In the east.
A fainter shower OF reddish, very slow
ly moving stars is to be looked for
from November II to g. These are the
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-10-27
Another General Rule.

zen. SIR JOHN FRENCH of the Brit
~ ish army talked to reporter about
aviation.
Its mortality is dreadful he said.
"Such sacrifices. however. attend every
human advance
With a grim smile he added:
lon an aviation field an aeroplane in
ventor said one day To me. complacently:
See the aeroplanes looking down on
the Flooding motor ears, That is the
general rule now. Aeroplanes everywhere
are looking down on motor cars
''Yes. and falling down on them. too
said l."
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-10-27

A LREADY Within Strik-
{ \ ing Distance of Being
Self-Supporting-Story of the
Founding of Occoquan Work
house Has Romantic Interest
Increasing the Plants Com
mercial Productivity The
New Brick Kilns-Amend-
ment of Penal Code Planned
To Provide an Indeterni-
nate Sentence Not to Exceed
Two Years, So That Prisoners
May Be Detained Until They
Are Prepared to Return to
Society as Self-Supporting-
Only Prison of Its Kind in
the United States.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-10-27
indeterminate sentence has been recon-
mended by Supt Whitaker.

indeterminate sentence has been recon-
mended by Supt. Whitaker.
= x
In his report to the Commissioners con-
tanning the recommendation the work.
house official said
mo greater injustice can be meted out
to an individual who is down and out
than to give him short sentence of
from fifteen to thirty days. at the end of
which time he is discharged. with no
money. with a suit of clothes that I'd per
cent of the time is a disgrace TO him and
a detriment in his effort to procure a
Job with no opportunity in view and with
no friends to assist him. Such treatment
only means for the individual another
sentence on the same old charge of Va
grancy.
Until We have a law giving us time
to study the crimes and causes for which
prisoners are sentenced We VIII not be
able to use the hest methods to correct
and return to society at least 60 per cent
of those who come to us as Self-support-
ing and law-abiding citizens. With the
indeterminate sentence we will be able to
steadily and persistently apply the meth
osl until we will be able to determine just
when the individual is ready for parole.
:.
cit is far better to inspire and encour-
age them, and. with the indefinite SEN
tence, we will have time to give them
few months of wholesome diet, with reg
ular habits. honest work, sanitary build
ings in which to be housed ana clean
clothing which to wear and many OF
these apparently hopeless subjects can
be made into better men and women 1t
is possible through proper discipline and
constant work to arouse in the lowest
type Of humanity confidence and self
respect.
In urging amendment of the penal code
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-10-27

bright for about two months and then it
fades rapidly away.
1t is predicted that this star will be
brightest November S. 1t should then be
more than twice as bright as the nearby
star at NJ, figure ., and will probably SO
remain throughout the month 1t will
reach it's greatest faintness next May,
when it will shine as star Of the 49,
magnitude, only visible in the largest
telescopes. Thus the changes in this
distant sun are even more remarkable
than those of the celebrated Mira, at r,
figure !. We know that it's wonderful
h,azes of light are partly caused by out
pourings of luminous hydrogen. and its
spectrum clearly indicates the agitation
and violent motions of its heated mate
rails at these times. but of the real cause
ignorant.
Not only should the observer watch
this star from time to time during the
coming weeks, to observe its gradual
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-10-27

der. The latter is the celebrated demon
star, Algol. whose light is periodically
cut off by the passage Of its DINNER COM
panion between itself and U.s. This star
will reach it's greatest faintness Novem-
Der ., at hours % minutes pm; No
vember 20. at hours IL minutes am:
November 90 at hours minutes pm.
and November %. at 5 hours d minutes
pm. The observer must not expect to
see the light of the star suddenly cut off !;
the companion moves before the brighter
star so gradually that four and one-half
hours elapse between the beginning of
occultation and the time of greatest
faintness. BY looking at the star at in
tervals of perhaps an hour its light
changes are, however, easily observed.
From a study of the stars of this kind
We cannot only ascertain the nature of
these double sun systems, but we can
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-10-27

and in all countries. The Chinese called
them IL Weighing Beam: the Hindus. an
Arrow; the Scandinavians, a Distaff, and
the Greenlanders. three Seal Hunters
who We're lost at sea. To the native
Australians they were young men. dane
ing before group OF rnaldens. who, rep
resented by the Pleiades, were playing
for them. The careful observer will
notice that the star + is decidedly more
yellow than those at D or +. The lower
star is an interesting triple the upper is
not only double star, but its brightness
also varies irregularly.
1t happens that one OF the most re-
markable and interesting variable stars
of the heavens is expected to reach it's
greatest brightness during this month
while 1t is in excellent position for Obser
walton in the evening sky. This star will
be found at the point X in figures l and
.. q very little to the left of the straight
line passing through the stars l., n. Z
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-10-27

series. Supplies are drawn from a gan
eral storehouSe by means OF acquisitions.
The financial administration has been
placed on a sound basis and the element
of waste reduced H. a minimum
SUPP. Whittaker's cNperienc" in corrcc-
tional and reform work commenced when
he obtained a position rs a clerk In tin.
Indiana state prison at Michigan CITY,
Ind. in 1875. He remained with this insti-
tuition six wears. resigninG To organize n
fuel company in indianapolis Subse-
auently he was selected by Gov. Durhin
TO head the reformatory a JefersonVille.
Ind. There he organized school OF let
tiers and trades. During the last year of
We're graduated ITO boys. ~ per cent az
whom could neither read nor write at
tire time they were admitted.
I'm 1900 Mr.. Whitaker WAS chairman OF
national conference on charities and cor
rections. lie also has been prominently
identified with other prison reform or
CARNATIONS and movements.
: <
During the entire time he has been at
Occoquan Mrs. Whitaker has been with
him. Their first home was a one-room
frame house. which, as has been men
TONED. served as an administration build
ing. At present they reside in a bungalow
built near the brick kilns on Occoquan
creek. \ new residence is being con-
structed for them near Lorton.
Property values near, Occoquan have
advanced since the esta blishment of the
workhouse. and residents Of the neigh
borhood, it is stated. have no fear of the
escape of prisoners. satisfactory has
been the management of the institution.
Mr.. Whitaker has recommended to the
Commissioners that he he given authority
to sell products Of the institution TO farm
ers ana others living adjacent to the farm.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-10-27

fading away, but he may also be inter-
eSted in examining the we'll known Mira,
at r, figure 1, and the eclipstng variable
at T. The former of these. which last
May was nearly as bright as the North
Star. is now barely visible to the eye,
though it will not reach its great faint.
ness of go magnitude until next Deem
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-10-27

Andromids. which move outward from
near the star 1T Y, figure !. usually leav-
in. luminous trains behind them. And to-
ward the end of the month. thv Taurlds
appear near the bright star Aldebaran.
at Il. figure I. These also move but slow
ly over TIL. sky. ard fireballs are said 10
occasionally appt ar among them.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-10-27

ard S. 1t can readily be identified by its
position Il little below and to the left OF
the star at n.
This wonderful object is usually very
much too faint to be seen with the naked
eye, but at a somewhat irregular interval
it begins to pour out more and more light
until it's brightness has increased many
thouSandfold. 1t usually remains thus
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-10-27

to us, nor can we tell when a variation
in its light is TO be looked for.
The three nearly equidistant stars, ID,
r and r. which form the Belt of Orion
and add so much to the beauty of this
constellation. are now just arising from
the ground AS might be expected, this
striking line Of bright stars has been
noticed. and named by people Of all ages
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-10-27

RECORD in engi-
neering 70 e ress,
i n d u S [ r / a l
achievement an d
p G n o o & ical re-
form probably but
rarely ever equaled
by an institution of
its kind has mark
ed the development
of the District of
c o ! u m bia work.
house, located in
F airf ak county,
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-10-27

interesting variable stars OF the heavens.
Seventy-siX years ago Sir John Herschel
discovered that It's light was huctuating;
il. the year 1S49 another fuctuation be-
gan. its light increasing until in 1852 1t
was actually the brightest star in the
northern heavens. A lesser Frightening
was witnessed in 1894. What Is occur
ring In this great sun is wholly unknown
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-10-27

also find approximately how dense the
two bodies are. And 1t is found that
many of them are remarkably rare AMI
tenMouS-merely nebulouS masses which
are still very far from having attained
the compact condition of our sun. Thus
the average density of all of the Aisol
variables is probably not far from one
third of that of our sun, while recent
computations show that one OF tne fart
or stars of this kind in the Southern
Cross is actually less than one-hundredth
part as dense as our air. Yet this body
appears to US as a bright and non-tlans-
parent star; when passing before its
companion star it hides the light OF this
body from us exactly if it were
opaque, for the light of the hidden star is
unable to penetrate the many millions
of miles of tenuous matter of which its
attendant star. is composed. Remarkable
and surprising as such q suit is, Ii is TO
be remembered that the material OF our
own sun formed an equally rare cloud
when this had not yet contracted far
within the present orbit of the planet
Venus.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-10-27

cess with which it has met is due to the
prison commission. which recommended
the general plan for its establishment
and operation. the District of Columbia
commissioners and Supt. William II.
Whitaker. The latter has been on the
grounds from the day operations were
commenced In conjunction with District
Engineer Commissioner William V. judi
son and the engineer department of the
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-10-27

p the village of Occoquan, Va.
tablished less than two. and a half
5 ago. the plant already is within
..-ing distance of being self-supporting.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-10-27
BRICK KILNS At OCCOQuAN.

To provide for the indeterminate sentence.
Mr.. Whitaker states that before a pris
oncr is released on parole position
should be provided for him for at least
six months. during which time he would
nc under the supervision of an officer Of
the institution to see that he honestly
and faithfully performs the labor that
he agreed to do at the time that he is
discharged from the institution. and.
also, that the employer gives the man d
SQUARE deal.
Life at the workhouse is made as pleas
ant as possible for the inmates. Sub
stantial food is, provided. while recrea-
ton is part of the daily routine The men
are permitted to gather in large lonng-
ing room capable OF accommodating 800
prisoners. while assemhages of the wom-
en- are held in the tailor shop. The hour
for taps is 8 O'Clock.
Although Congress has failed to pro-
vide an appropriation for the employ
ment of a religious instructor. religious
services are frequently conducted 10y
volunteers. Singing is d feature of the
services, and there has seldom been "a
time when either the male or female de-
partment was not provided with d quar-
tet.
Tho female department was opened
July ], 1911. From twenty to thirty
women are employed in the laundry.
while the sewing room employs a force OF
similar size. Household work also is pro-
vided for the female prisoners.
During the fiscal year that closed June
50 ;.641 male prisoners were received and
3. AL discharged. During the same period
9T7 female prisoners We're received ana
$40 discharged. The average number OF
prisoners received and discharged daily
was about fifteen.
The health of the institution has been
remarkably good. The workhouse main
tains a physician and all hospital Access
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-10-27
MANY Shooting Stars
Iva From November ID to
10 After Midnight-Mars En-
tiers the Morning Sky Novem-
Der 4-The Fluctuations of
Capella.
BY Prof. Eric Doolittle of the
University of Pennsylvania.

II IN this month that the most beau
tiful consultations of Orion and the
Twins both enter our evening sky
u and already the eastern part of the
heavens begins to present the bril-
liant appearance which is characteristic
of the winter stars II the observer will
face due east he will now see the wonder
ful Taurus. with its Hyades and
Pleiades. already mounted nearly half
way to the zenith: TO the left of these are
the two stars which mark the extreme
tips OF the Bulls horrs OF which the
pure white star. at n, figure I. is a great
double sun in almost the same condition
as our two dog stars, while the second,
at Il, is a fainter, yellowish star whose
influence in the days of astrology was for
some reason believed to be particularly
mangn. 1t Is at the point c. very short
distance above and to the left of this
star. that there is found the singular
Crab Nebula. often mistaken by anna
tour observers for a new comet.
X
horns We see the very brilliant Capella
while below there are the two bright
Twin stars. Castor ard PoIIux, Just
emerging from the ground. But most in
ieresting of all is the beautiful Orion,
whose brightest star at IL has now fair
derful orange-red sun is one Of the most
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-10-27

stone-crushing plant has been in op-
Grafton for several months and is now
being enlarged The institution's output
of stone in the future will. it is expected.
produce an annual revenue of $4,000 for
the District government, while it is es-
timated that the revenue produced by the
brick kilns. if operated at full capacity,
will amount to from $4,000 to 100000
annually.
Progress has been made in the develop
Norwich bulletin., 1912-06-28
RELIEVE FRANKLIN SQUARE.

With the effort that is to be made
10 secure additional trolley facilities
in the city, the fact should not be lost
sight Of that the extension Of the
Shetucket street line has been hang
ing fire for a year and a half with
nothing accomplished 1t is the extern
sion of this line to the foot Of Mar
ket street which is necessary TO re-
lieve the loading Of the trolley express
cars on Franklin square and the over
coming OF the congestion which it oc-
casions there. il is time something
was done to hasten this work along
and the use made of the side street
rather than the business center of the
city for a freight yard. Repeated prom
ises have been made and the council
months ago gave the company the
layout for the short extension, but
nothing has been done.
Why the change should be held up
now is hard to understand. 1t is OF
great importance that Franklin square
should be freed Of its congestion. but
extremely slow progress is being made
in accomplishing it; in fact, no re-
lief has been obtained and the out
look. while remaining hopeful, is prob
lematical. 1t is only proper that the
Connecticut company should be made
TO realize the importance of the
change and urged to carry out the
work. a job which ought to be accom-
plished in a short time.
Norwich bulletin., 1912-06-28
IDEAS OF A PLAIN MAN

We spend most of our time looking
for IDEAL friends and neighbors. We
resent enforced intimacies. We get
into the way of despising our own vii
layers. When we travel, trains and
stations are filled with common people.
We would like to know celebrities, mix
with those who appreciate us. We
wonder why so many undressing
PEOPLE are thrown to our lot; why we
cannot find everywhere soul mates and
sympathetic natures
In this, as in other matters, we
would gain much If we strove to ad-
just ouI selves to what is, instead of
retulantly trying to adjust what is to
ourself.
We shall take a great stride toward
cortentment if we will start with fbe
basic theory that the people that Fate
moves to meet us are the most i'm
20 tart people in the world for us to
know.
cur town is a little cosmos. To I'M
de1stanI the storekeeper, the black
smit1 and the farmland is to under
stand humanity.
The little company of passengers
Gagged with us a week on an Atlantic
liner is a prime sample of all the
kings and snobs, saints and rogues
cruel and gentle folk, that exist.
Our children and wife and relatives
Norwich bulletin., 1912-06-28
SAFE AND SANE FOURTH.

From all Indications from the wide
spread effort to make the observation
OF independence day safe and sane.
the Fourth Of July will be observed
just as faithfully, but with less siren
uous and dangerous methods than has
characterized the past. The move
ment seems 10 be meeting with general
favor, net with the idea Of abolishgng
the observance, but TO make the use
OF gunpowder less reckless and harm
full II 10 better to celebrate safely
and sanely and be able to be about
the next day, than to plunge needless
~ in TO the burning Of powder and
dynamite and lose a finger, or an eye,
and be manned for life or perhaps be
killed through a foolish display Of
sense
The sentiment is gradually changing
in favor Of a less boisterous observ-
ance. Mayor Murphy has published
the state law regarding firearms. and
has directed the police to see that 1t
is enforced. The dealers find that
there is q growing inclination TO a
sane observance and in this regard the
parents play an important part. 1t is
true that they do not want to see the
day pass unobserved, and it can be de-
pended upon that they viii not, but
they are the ones to exert an influ-
ence TO see that the explosives are
within the bounds Of reasonable safe
~