davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-07-15
Ice in a New York City

Schnectady, N, r., city of 75,000 people, has a socialist mayor, and it also had an ice trust. Most cities have. Mayor Lunn concluded that the city itself could supply ice as well as water. If ice is water, water, he said, is ice, and the city can under it's char ter sell ice. So he built an ice factory, and he soon had over thousand cus- toners, who secured ice at or near the cost of production.
 All went well until a taxpayer brought suit to test the mayors logic, and the courts of the state have de- cided that ice is not water and that the mayor must conduct the ice fac tory, if at all, as an individual respon- sibility.
 Mayor Lunn is a man of resources and considerable wealth and the Schnectady ice proposition is perhaps not yet worked out. No court can drive MT. Lunn, an individual, out of the ice business, and Schnectady may there fore secure ice at cost, which is more than other cities do.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-07-15
The Work of City Building

q am much impresseds with the things that are doing here in this grow ing city to build larger structures to meet modern demands said an en- thusiastic citizen.
 "Who, in the days of, say, 'S1, would have thought that here in 'Mudville,' as 1t was sometimes dubbed by those who did hauling, that good buildings would be torn down to make a place for s1,- GOO, ,000 hotels; for 15 to 20story office buildings, playhouses and apartment houses? Well, that's just what has been going on here for several months.
 q remember when the building now on the site of the new office building that is already planned by the Jeffer- son County, Savings bank, known as the Wilson building. was considered an imposing structure.
 T think that 1913 will find Birming- ham still building fine structures, erect ing manufacturing plants and grow ing into a great manufacturing center.
 Tt is a matter of wonder to me that the manufacturing of fine furniture has not been undertaken here. High Point, x. C., with only one railroad, has many such factories. The story of its devel-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-07-15
The Stock Market

Henry Clews in his Saturday review says in part:
 "The refusal of the market to re- spond to such encoura ging influences as a good crop report larger activity
 in industrial and mercantile circles. better railroad and industrial earnings naturally disappointed those whose overconfidence had prompted them to anticipate a continuance of the upward movement after the presidential con- ventions were over. The truth is, these favorable influences had been used as basis for profit taking by those on the long side of the market This left the situation technically weak, espe- cially in view of firmer money and the approach of summer quiet and absen- teeism.
 "The investment demand for secur- ities since July 1 hardly reached ex- pectations, the inquiry for bonds having materially subsided. Foreign markets as well as our own show symptoms of congestion. following recent enormous security issues, and it is satisfactory to observe that there has been at least partla1 cessation or the latter. Ine present outlook in this market is for moderate activity with limited luctu- ations in either direction. Intrinsic con- ditions continue sound and encourag- ing so, while the tendency at the mo- ment seems toward lower prices, there is no reason to anticipate any sharp break in the market. Good investment securities may still be purchased with
 confidence, and the timidity now hav- | ing its foundation on political uncer- tainties may afford shrewd buyers a bet
 ter opportunity for investment later on. 1 Back of all the political disquiet there still remains one very significant fact,
 that extreme radicalism has met with
 stunning rebuke at both conven : i tions."
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-07-15
WHEN TWAIN WROTE A PLAY

presence of Harte does not seem to have added to his happiness.
 T am not very well myself" he wrote to Clemens "The excitement of the first night is bad enough. but to have the an- noyanee with Harte that I have is too much for a new beginner"
 Nevertheless, the play seems to have gone we'll with Parsloe as An Sin, Chinese laundryman. who was also a great number of other diverting things, with a fair support and a happy-go- lucky presentation of frontier life which included a supposed murder, false ac- eusation and a general clearing up Of mystery by the pleasant and willy and useful and entertaining An Sin It was not great play. It was neither very coherent nor convincing, but it had lot of good fun in it, with character parts which, if not faithful to life, were faith- ful enough to the public conception of 1t to be amusing and exciting.
 At the end of each act, not only Par sloe, but also the principal members Of the company were called before the cur tain for special acknowledgements. When it was over there was a general call for An Sin, who came before the curtain and read telegram from Mark Twain:
 I am on the sick list and therefore can- not come to Washington, but I have pre- pared two speeches-one to deliver in event of failure of the play. and the oth- CT if successful. Please tell me which I shall send. Maybe better to put it to vote. MARK TWAIN.
 The house cheered the message and when it was put to vote decided unani- mously that the play had been success "a verdict more kindly than true.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-07-15
BOOTHS SIGHT GOING

From the London Mali.
 In a poignant letter addressed to his followers, General Booth says:
 Instead of the restoration of my sight, on which I had so long and ardently counted, the doctors tell me that I am on the very eve of entire darkness.
 In a few hours my comrades may be under the painful compulsion of an- nouncing that the general is hopelessly blind. In that event, what a loss-what an indescribably painful loss-will be minel Never again to see the light of day! Never again to behold the coun- tenances of my friends Never again to look into the sympathetic eyes of my comrades Never again to witness that which, for 60 years gone by, has been to me the sight of sghts-men and women kneeing."
 With characteristic optimism the gen- eral writes of the mercies that are still left to him, the confidence and love of his followers and the inestimable blessing of life
 ''In a few weeks time I hope to be found once more on the old battlefield,' he concludes.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-07-15
MARVELLOUS MINERAL WATER

New York Cor. Cincinnati Times-Star.
 William-better known as Bill-Rig- ney Is the janitor of the municipal court at Elmhurst. The three upper floors of the building are used as dor mitories for the police of the Two Hun dred and Seventy-seventh precinct MT. Rigney, for some unknown reason, has been looking on policemen with some disfavor. But he kept that fact to himself.
 Don't drink that water" said Mir. Rigney to a large copper Come into my office, and get some of the Killa- pain spring water I keep there It is sure cure for rheumatism"
 For weeks that copper drilled pa tiently down three flights of stairs whenever he got thirsty and drank some of MT. Rigneys Killapain. By and by he became a booster for it.
 Sure" said MT Rigney, calmly, it will cure dyspepsia, too. Most won- derful water in the world"
 So the policemen who found their digestions giving way under diet of peanuts and bananas used to pant pain
  selves to the nozzle with Killapain MT Rgney said that he had the agency for the water. but he wouldn't sell any to his friends. the policemen. They were welcome to drink all they wanted to. Sometimes MT. Rigneys little office would be so full of thirsty guardians that policemen would como out bearing the matrix of other mems belt buckles on the smalls of their backs. Before retiring they were in the habit of visiting Rlgney's office and filling private bottles with the Killapain. Rigney gave them a key for that purpose. Policemen who wanted to do a real favor to one of the local powers would lead the power into Rig ney's office and treat him to a drink of Bills marvellous water. The other day a policeman caught Bill's office boy filling that bottle at faucet in the corridor.
 "Whadda yuh wanta do--poison us?" screamed the policeman. 'Is the Killa- pain run out?"
 T never filled this bottle nowhere else" said the boy
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-07-15
An Atlanta Exposition

Atlanta is advertising extensively a manufacturers exposition to be held the first ten days of August. It IS needless to say that it will be a high ly creditable affair. Georgia's metropo- lis has been for many years the south's best exposition city. As far back as 1881. Atlanta had a cotton exposition which was the largest enterprise Of the exposition kind ever seen in the south up to that time. It has had many industrial shows since then that have far surpassed it, but an exposition in Atlanta will always spell success.
 It is Atlanta's boast that it has "54S manufacturing plants-all busy" The exposition is to be held under the aus pices of the Manufacturers and Mer- chants association, and the association announces in it's advertisement that "the reason Atlanta is so big and so go- ahead is that she makes in her own factories and shops a great big part of the stuff she sells.
 The Georgia city sets an example not only to the south, but to the whole country in the matter of exploiting itself along legitimate lines. It's ad- mirable get-together spirit has been the making of Atlanta and the same kind of spirit is now doing much for Birmingham.
 The United States census bureau has taken a count of all the industries in the Birmingham district. Hundreds of these industries are within the city limits and other hundreds are outside of the boundry lines, but inside of what the census director designates as the Birmingham urban center. When that Hist of mining operations, blast fur naces and steel works, to say nothing of small industrial plants, is published 1 it will make a showing that will open the eyes of people here as well as the outside public. But with all of Bir- minghams varied industrial life there is still room for improvement, as the saying goes. This is an inviting field for practically every kind of manu- facture.
 | The railroads have made low rates for the Atlanta exposition, and great crowds will attend. Birmingham should i be well represented.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-07-15

Albert Bigelow Paine, in Harper's Mag
 azine
 TT was that fall and winter dS6) that Bret Harte came to Hartford and A collaborated with Mark Twain on the play "Ah sin," a comedy-drama, or melodrama, written for Charles T. Pars- Joe, the great impersonator of Chinese character
 Harte had written successful play which unfortunately he had sold outright for no great sum. and was eager for an- other venture. Harte had the dramatic sense and constructive invention. He also had humor. but he felt the need of the sort of humor that only Mark Twain could furnish. Furthermore. he believed that play backed by both their regulations must start with great advan- tages. Clemens also realized these things. and the arrangement was made. Speaking of their method of working, Clemens once said:
 Well Bret came down to Hartford and we talked it over, and then Bret wrote it I had to go over it to get the dialect right. Bret never dld Know anything about dialect"
 Which Is hardly fair statement of the case. They both worked on the play, and worked hard.
 'Ah Sin" was put on at Washington at the National theatre on the evening or May I, 1877. It had been widely exploited in the newspapers and the regulations of inc arnxN6ad Onpnilg. Clemens was unable to go over on ac- count of sudden attack of bronchitis. Parsloe was nervous accordingly. and the
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-07-15
MRS. WOODROW WILSON

eign criticism of the American woman. homes and devote ourselves to our own selfish development as individuals"
 'I think" Mrs. Wilson answered slow ly, that we show an unfortunate ten- deney to do too much, to spread too thin both in our social and sociological interests. We might have fewer in- terests and more time to devote to them"
 At this moment very crude young man burst with dazzling brilliancy upon the conversation. Mrs. Wilson," he said, "how does it feel to change sud- denly from simple professors wife to the possible mistress of the White House?"
 well she might.
 why" she faltered, T can't imagine anything more delightful than the life at Princeton" And then, as though seek ing to palliate the youths disappoint- ment, You know I have no social am- bitions at all In Princeton everything is so charming. There is no struggle, no strife there. But, of course, I shall en- joy any 4ife to which MT. Wilson is called"
 'Well, MT. Wilson will be the next President of the United Statesi' vouch- safed a prophet But the wife of the democratic candidate answered, her gen. tie southern voice rounding and deepen- ing with wifely pride:
 ''Whatever the result of the election, I believe MT. Wilson will be something greater than president of the United States. For he is the chosen leader of great causei'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-07-15

We have been exceedingly generous to Mr Taft in the foregoing purely hypothetical tabulation. We have been more than liberal to the bull moose We are also conscious that we have perhaps skimped Dr. Wilson little Tor the sake of the illustration. Neverthe- less the foregoing arrangement serves the purpose as well as any other.
 No candidate having received a ma iority of the electoral vote, 1t becomes the business of the House of Repre- sentatives to elect, or try to elect, un- der the provisions contained in the twelfth amendment of the constitutions The House may vote by state delega- tions, each delegation casting one vote for either of the three candidates named above The vote of each dele eation will be determined, according to the precedents of 1901 and 1925, by the majority of the votes given in that delegation For an election by the House there must be a majority Of all the states; in the present instance 20 states are needed to elect.
 Now it happens that on strict party lines that is as between a republican and a democratic candidate, the Sixty second Congress Is so divided politi- cally that on vote by states as units the result would be as follows:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-07-15
A stendy Cotton Market

Tt Is rather remarkable that the world seems to have readily absorpea a 16,0O0, 000-bale cotton crop and at fairly good prices,n said merchant
 Tt is probable that agitation and CO., operation prevented the prices being hammered down to a non-proht basis. There has been no material Varlatloh in the prices of standard cotton goods Prices for the last few years nave been on a 12-cent basis for the staple.
 You would be surprised to know how the change of style and the use of fewer undergarments by women have affected the demand for cotton goods. Then, too, silks were never be- fore in such demand"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-07-15
GEORCIE,s DIpLoMAoY
9 San Francisco Star.

From the San Francisco Star.
 The lad had face bright and sunny, and a pair of blue eyes like girls, and he had just put an end to the earthly existence of fine ripe banana in manner remarkable for It's neat ness and dispatch.
 Then he looked up at daddy and smiled the inquiring smile which meant trouble for the old man.
 Dad" he said. softly, ''supposing I'd been twins"
 Dad shuddered; but it is necessary to dissemble sometimes.
 well, Georgie,' he said, 'supposing?"
 You'd have bought the other boy banana, too. wouldn't you? Fact, I don't see how you could have got out of it."
 T should certainly have bought the other boy, you call him, banana said dad, austerely.
 Well, dad" said the dear little fel- low, you surely ain't goin' to cheat me out of a banana eos I'm all in one piece, are your"
 A groan came from somewhere, but Georgie was neatly dispatching an- other banana pretty soon.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-07-15

this, we need more white farmers in the south. We want land owners who will cultivate more acres and do it well, for a crop of 20,000,060 bales will certainly be needed ten years hence, and such crop will command 12 cents at least.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-07-15

opnent is that a man of moderate means came to that small town from Grand Rapids, Mich, for his health and began the business of making certain lines of furniture Then others followed. Now High Point has, by no means. the same supply of woods used in fine fur niture or even the common grades that are abundant in the field tapped by Birmingham's network of railroads. Neither was there any labor to be had at High Point that was any better trained or offered better men for ap- prentices in the art of furniture crale' We must have furniture factories in Birmingham"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-07-15
TO HELEN.

By Edgar Allan Poe. Helen, thy beauty is to me
 Like those Niceap barks of yore That gently, OCT a perfumed sea,
 The weary way-worn wanderer bore To his own native shore. On desperate seas long wont to roam,
 Thy hyacinth hair, thy classic face. Thy Naiad airs have brought me home
 To the glory that was Greece, And the grandeur that was Rome. Lo, in yon brilliant window niche
 How statue-like I see thee stand,
 Thy agate lamp within thy hand, An. Psyche, from the regions whaen
 Are holy land.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-07-15
FLED BEFORE HER REPORT

From Hearst's Magazine.
 Mrs. Harriot Stanton Biatch tells about one of her friends who was visiting western town.
 "One day my friend stroled into a public library. says Mrs. Blatch, quite unaware of her surroundings and every thing except her prearranged plan to get book on economies Just as she was about to enter an inner room she was in- terrupted by an attendant, who, pointing to most bedraggled looking tramp cur that had followed her into the office, said ooolly:
 '' Dogs are not admitted
 That's not my dog, she replied.
 '''But he followed you,' said the old man authoritatively.
 Well. so did you, came her retort.
 "Thereupon,r adds Mrs, Blatch, drylys man and dog departed"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-07-15
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
Regarding Ice and weights

When we send to the ice factory for ice, as we occasionally do, we always get honest weight. but the delivery wagon often leaves us much less than we pay for" said Highland avenue householder.
 "We buy 100 pounds of ice at time. We have no scales on which to weigh it, but from the looks of the block 1t seems to be. short in weight l have heard neighbors complain very much of the same thing.
 we have an inspector of weights and measures. He should look into this mat ter; but the ice company should also take the matter up with the drivers. I am as- suming that the company means to be scrupulously honest in it's dealings. Of course 1t does, but 1t is up to the com pany management to look after It's de- livery system and see that everybody gets full measure"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-07-15
REFLECTIONS OF A BACHELOR

From the New York Press.
 Exceptions can prove only fool rules.
 No nice girl will ever let man kiss her after he has done if.
 No work is so hard a man can't get some fun out of it unless he Is paid for it. woman can look ten times cooler than she is and a man 10 times warmer than he is.
 A house where you live is always a good deal hotter in summer than it would be if. you didn't live in 1t.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-07-15
CHOOSING A PRESIDENT

From the New York Sun.
 This is case of supposing, not of knowing beforehand. Who does Know beforehand?
 In the presidential election of 1912 the total of the electoral votes of the 4S states is 5S1, and 266 electoral votes are necessary to a choice.
 Merely supposing all the while, let us say, that the 531 electoral votes are thus distributed:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-07-15


 Republican. Democratic.
 California Alabama
 Connecticut Arizona
 Illinois Arkansas
 Idaho Colorado
 Iowa Delaware
 Kansas Florida
 Massachusetts Georgia
 Michigan Indiana
 Minnesota Kentucky
 Montana Louisiana
 Nevada Maryland
 New Hampshire Mississippi
 North Dakota Missouri
 oregon New Jersey
 Pennsylvania New Mexico
 South Dakota New York
 Utah North Carolina Vermont Ohio
 Washington Oklahoma
 Wisconsin South Carolina Wyoming-2l Tennessee
 Texas
 Virginia
 West Virginia-2t In each of the three remaining states Maine, Nebraska and Rhode Island, the delegation is equally divided between republicans and democrats. If there was a persistent deadlock in these dele cations the votes of the states could not be recorded. If pr. Wilson should receive the votes of the 24 states In the democratic columns printed above as he probably would under the circum- stances-he would still lack the vote of one state needed to make majority of all the states and to elect him In the House On the othef hand. it would be in the power of one republican rep resentative from Maine, or one from Nebraska, or one from Rhode Island to give the determining vote that would make a democratic President or the United States.
 Further, if the deadlock should per- sist in these divided delegations, rem dering an election by the House fm- possible, the Senate would proceed to elect a vice president, in case the elec- that officer Under the constitutional provisions the Senate would elect by majority vote of all the senators a vice president from the two candidates having the highest number of electoral votes and the person thus elected as vice president would become on March 4 the President of the United States if the House had failed to choose Presi- dent. Forty nine votes would be need ed in the Senate to make chief mag istrate in this way. Could they be had for Governor Mal shall? Could they be had for Hon. James s. Sherman? Could they be had for any Rooseveltian nomi- nee, even supposing that he had won in the electoral contest more votes than Mir. Taft's running mate? Such is the situation which is be- ginning to command throughout the country the attention which it merits by reason of it's extraordinary charac- ter. It is one of the disturbing as- poets of the traiangular contest pre- cipitaed in 1872 by the selfish and ruthless ambition of a single individual who would deem himself insulted if the sincerity of his self f-proclaimed patriotism were questioned by any body.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-07-15
sunday Observance and Politics

'I do not believe in too rigid Sunday observance laws-such as some of my friends pretend to uphold. but I do be- lieve in Sunday as a day of rest and of special religious service" said an old citi- zen.
 T can remember when the members of certain churches observed Sunday with much strictness. They did not patronize cigar stores, or fruit stands, or soft drink stands. They would not even ride on a street car if the church was in walk ing distance; and as for riding on the cars for pleasure on Sunday afternoons, that was regarded as decidedly sinful.
 "All that has changed, believe; at least I never meet anyone who entertains the same strict notion about riding on the cars. Yet, even with all the laxity that has come into evidence as a result of our pulsating urban life, our American Sum day is quite decorous.
 'In my time there has always been great deal of Sunday work done in po- litical headquarters during campaigns There is too much unnecessary Sunday labor in connection with politics. Would it not be a good idea for President Taft, Woodrow Wilson and ex-President Roose- welt to frown on the practice of mak- ing political business day of Sunday? All campaign headquarters should be closed in derefence to the sentiment of a large percentage of the voters, to put 1t on no higher grounds
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-07-15

If the thermometer goes too high to suit you just stand it in the icebox a few minutes.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-07-15

The conventions and a sane Fourth are now back numbers, and the "peepul' are free to give their attention to early Christmas shopping.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-07-15

Charlie Murphy, the Tammany boss, may be guilty of many things, but the charge that he plays golf is not true. Don't pile unjust accusations upon one who is already overloaded