davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-03-31

Bruee's handsome home She was the president of the company, the superin- tendent and the hello" girl. She sat at the switchboard and she worked the plugs The switchboard was so close to the dining table that all she had to do when there was d call and she was lat her meals was to swing in her chair and make the proper connection. What did il matter if there was little profit in the business? She was busy, and happy She no longer mad to sit for hours shut out from the world. She became wonderfully proficient at the switchboard and never was there a bet ter operator It was a joy to her to aid others.
 It had hurt her q bit when some of the old residents had declined to put in telephones, but soon she had a sweet revenge. Stolid old men. who did not see whatuse a telephone would be to them, began 10 discover that 1t had it's place in the economy of busi- ness and ordinary everyday life one of the merchants who had said he would not take a telephone as a gift was shocked to see now much of his trade went 10 Butler x sNernon because they had a telephone. Another who dealt in dry goods began to ask him- self if the increase in the business of Smith & Peck was a result of the in stallation of the telephone in that firms establishment. Gibsons drug store was doing a larger business than ever before. John R. Hay, the jeweler, found the telephone paid for itself many times over; so did Dr. Welsh and Dr. Me Mutrie.
 The staid, conservative old slow pokes deliberated for month or two and then one of them sent word to Mrs Bruce that if she would send some one consider the telephonce matter. Mrs Bruce Is a woman Of spirit; she does
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-03-31

be Of the excavated spoil, filled with the other material made up of the silt from the Chagres.
 This dam material has, as I have said. been tested and there is no doubt but that t will hold the water although great construction could not be erected upon it. It is only owing to the rocay hill in the center of the dam that the spillway could be created. The concrete of the spillway Is founded on rock. and it looks as though the Lord when He created this part of the earth, dropped hat rocky hill here in order that man might be able to. create a water high way from ocean to ocean.
 The Problem One of Construction
 As we went over this vast work. squlnt- ins our eyes to keep out the flying sand from the myriads of spoil trains which flew by us, 1 asked Colonel Sibert if the dam was not the most wonderful ever created. He replied that 1t was the largest dam eyer planned, but that the problem of making 1t was one of construction rather than of engineering. It was q question of accomplishing a vast amount of work within short time rather than one of difficult engineering. The principal prob lem dealt with the handling of the ma terial, but in other ways the construction was no more difficult than that of any complicated piece of big engineering, and not as difficult as some
 l here asked Colonel Slbert when the dam would be finished. and as 10 just when the canal would be really opened. He replied:
 "As to the canal, the President has told the people that it will be opened on July 3i. 1913, That may be SO. l certainly ltnow that it will be so as to this part Of the work, locks, dam and all"
 And just here want to say word about Colonel Sibert. He is one of the best equipped civil and mechanical engineers of his time, and he has made a. reputa- ton as an hydraulic engineer. for his
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-03-31

to her way of thinking, why Salem should not have all the facilities q large city could boast of. She entered into negotiations with the Bell com pany, and in n little while her Dent county wires were connected with the long distance trunk lines of the big company Now every one of her suh- scribers may, if there is necessity, con verse with St. Louis. Kansas City, Memphis Chicago, New orleans Nash vile. Cincinnati, CleVefand, Pittsburg, New York.
 Using the top strands of barbed wire fence for telepnone line Is good not do at all times. Mrs Bruce has rebuilt all her rural lines wherever nee ossary. Good, stout poles have been put up, strong wires of high conduc- tivity have been strung, and the best of instruments have been installed for all the subscribers. She takes pride in giving tho highest viass service for the lowest price possible, and yet re- turn fair profit
 Salem is very proud of it's telephone magnate It thinks she is a wonderful woman. and she Is. She has readjusted
 her whole life since blindness came to her II s 10 years or so since she put in her first telephone, but she takes as keen delight today in working at the switchboard as she did when the first little one was installed in her dining room She has not allowed business to absorb all her time. She is alive to everything that goes on in the world. She remains the social leader of the rich old town, and is q leading spirit in every work of good or progress. She Is the head of the Quex club, literary organization named for one Of the knights of King Arthur's court. Once a week this club meets for readings and discussions. Two of the charming women of Salem, Mrs. William Young and Mrs William Bennett. havo ennsfifnfnd fhelnselNes ns her elIides
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-03-31

her activities as much as possible Every hour of the busirfess day found a multi tude of things for her to engage her Attention. salem was awake, il had been awakened hy a blind woman and the tele- phone company was making a handsome profit
 But Mrs, Bruce was not content with the conquest of Salem As her business
 grew her ideas broadened. Salem was not all the world to her. The great, smiling farming country outside of Sa- lem was without telephones. She had learned a lot about the telephone business by this time. She sent men out to all
 of the towns for 10. 15, 25 and 10 miles around They visited the farmhouses and the little settlements. They went to Elm thence. to Houston. to Licking, to Cook Station. to West Plains, to Steelville, to Cuba and dozens of other places. Some times Mrs. Bruce drove out herself to interview people. It was not long before
 rural or suburban lines began to go mp where the telephone had never been seen
 before and but little heard of. In some
 Instance, for economy, she insulated tho | top strands of barbed wire fence and
 psed them for her telephone line. In
 other instances she strung her wires along
 the trees
 Week by week the system grew until l there was hardly a farmer or hardly a settlement in all the Dent county tor ritory tributary to Salem without a. telephone. Every additional line added its mite to her income, gross and ner. With the growth of the business she had 10 build another house for the rural exchange. She built il alongside of the other one on her nome grounds, and, of course. she had to get more telephone girls to attend the switch board there
 There still was more for her to do While she served Dent county, she was not in touch with the whole outside world. There was no reason, according
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-03-31

ing our trip over the works we rode out to where the suction dredges were gouging out the sides of the mountain, mixing it with water and forcing it through d pipe into the dam. The pipe was as big around as flour barrel and a mile or so long. lt made me think of a boa constructor or of the dragon which guarded the golden ap pies of Hesperides. This mighty boa von- its black earth al the rate of thousands of tons every day into the core.
 Will It Hold the Water?
 As we looked I talked with Colonel Si- bert about the dam, and he gave me a technical description from which l am convinced 1t will hold back the waters of the Chagres for all time to come. He says that the earth in the core is inc same as that which forms the bottom of the lake. The engineers made drllings, but they found that there was 2J0 feet of such material above the bed rock, and that concrete dam was Impossible. They then tested the earth to see wheth- CT if would hold water, and ii did. They analysed it and found that much Of it contained blue clay. and they have dis covered that some of it was formed by the slit from the Chagres, and other parts by the sea, which once came up here in the form of a great bay As an evidence of this l saw sea shells dug up by the steam shovel below the locks dur ing my trip this morning.
 The blue clay which forms part of this earth is absolutely waterproof. In one place the engineers found the trunk of tree imbedded in it. The log was 56 feet below sea level. but 1t was not in the least affected or decomposed. Ii had evidently lain there for thousands and possibly millions of years, and had the water gotten to it fl would have rotted away.
 When the dam is completed the central portion of 1t. or core, will be made of earth containing material like this, ana the parts in front and behind this will
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-03-31

Copyright, 1912 by Frank G. Carpenter.)
 Gatun Canal Zone, Panama. Y WANT to give you picture of the
 great work going on at Gatun Hers a A Is the mighty dam which now holds hack, the chagres, making a reservoir ssEb: ]elnio.s Teat as that of the Nile abdai the dam at Assouan. Here are the mighty locks which will lift the biggest of the ocean grayhounds from the Atlan- tic to the lowest level at the end of this chain of the Andes, 'so that they may shoot across 1t and go down other water steps into the Pacific. Here is where our canal and the old French canal cross, and where the mightest of the construction work of the Panama canal begins. Gatun Is. in some respects, the heart of this greatest engineering work of all times, the ganglionic center from which it's nerves radiate.
 I came here this morning from my hotel at Ancon on the Pacific l rose at 5 O'Clock and rode with the workmen on the railroad along the canal I have spent all day in going over the dam and locks with Colonel Sibert, the hydraulic ensi- neer who has charge of the Atlantic di- vision of the canal; and am now writing these notes on the second floor of the Catun administration building, in plain 1. vtev of the canal and the locks, and of ! he Atlantic ocean, which is rolling up its surf in Limon bay.
 A Day at Gatun
 All day have been flying over the dam and the works. l have gone up and down the locks in car run by a gasoline en- zine. I have even ridden under those mighty chambers 40 feet and moro below the level of the sea, and under the basins which when filled with water will come day lift ships as big as the Olympic On their way from ocean to ocean. have been inside the mighty concgste pipes cscn as big as the tube tunnel throusii the Pullman trains go on their way under the river from Jersey City to New York and have seen the holes as big as hogs head which will admits the waters of the Chasrcs into the floors of the locks.
 have visited the Atlantic ocean where the canal ends or begins; have iiown across the spillway, and ever with ms- life 1t seems to mo resting On the balance oI a hair ard ny heart in lay throat have been carried in and out and over this mighty maze Of machinery which lif,s mountains in~ts fingers and carries the earth and the waters in the palm of it's hand.
 Brain Racing Scenes
 The scenes are iEdescribabie. Even now | my head hl-.ss as iook at tho hyine z steel cab.es waic- s-e carrying steel hezsheads lca<ed nith s.cre thrSuGh,taa air as though they were balloons al!el ] with :hs lighsest of gas; at the rivers of aars piled hlsa with the blue rcel1 frnn,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-03-31

Culebra cut and at the vast moving net work of steel wires, railroad trains and human beings which covers the Gatun locks and the dam
 The impressions which come through the ear here are. almost as terrifying as those through the eye The drums of my head are vibrating at something like. thou sand movements a second. A boiler fac tory would be a rest cure in comparison, and the shrieking of the steam and the exploding of the dynamite the hammer ing of steel upon steel and the thousand noises of mighty machines are combined into rasping din that makes ones nerves the only perceptible part of his being. It is under such conditions that I am giving you my impressions and recording some of the notes which were made here today at Gatun-
 A Flying Machine View
 Let me first make rough drawing of the scene as II looks from the roof of this office building on the top of the high hill just over the dam. We might be in a flying machine, for the waters of the ocean and those of Gatun lake and the canal, which lead to them, are spread out below us as though on a map. Look ing to the north you can follow the
The chronicle=news., 1912-12-26
MERCHANTS BUSY
TAKING INVENTORIES

The Christmas rush over. the var
ious stores oI Trinidad hay. begun
the work Of making the annual in
vcniory OF stock which is usually
mpi-tcd by New Years day. A
number OF business houses began
stock taking this morning.
The merchants OF the city received
the largest holiday trade OF many
years. due largely to tho splendid
weather OF the shopping season. The
run Of the day befor" Christmas was
not 40 noticeable owing to the fact
that the people did III. bulk OF their
buying early this year. The mcr.
chants We'd with on. another In the
atirnctivensSs Of window displays
and tho business district presented u
real Yulciidc appearance.
The chronicle=news., 1912-12-26
Aultman Expresses
Thanks to Patrons

Looking back upon u prosperous
year and In readiness 10 greet the
new year with enthusiasm and hope
iulncss. y. r. Autman. the we'll
known local photographed. accepts
this opportunity to express his thanks
10 Gis many patrons of the year
particularly tn" liberal patronage
during the holiday season. The fact
that Mr.. Aultman did tho largest
business in Christmas photographs
that he has known since he opened a
studio In Trinidad. Is u fitting tcsti-
monial OF tn. confidence exhibited by
tho public In his ability to give the
patrons the cass of work that liz a
popular demand.
Mr.. Aultmln may well he srattticd
by tho growth OF his business In the
past year. This has been accom-.
IliShed by progressive ideas aud tho
most up-to-date methods and mater
ials. combined with this all the skill
aud temperament OF the true artist.
The Aultman photos represent tho
last word In portrait photography.
To everybody u Happy New Year.
The chronicle=news., 1912-12-26
ROYAL ARCANUN
CHRISTMAS PRoGRAx

Christmas Is not yet over for tn.
childicn of Trinidad. Tomorrow
night the Trinidad Council No. 1915
RoyI! Arcanum will give Its annual
Christmas entertainment at the lodge
room In Castle hall. II 81 an occas-
lon Ut which the kiddics vii. have u
glorious time and from th. big
Christina. tree Santa Claus will pass
out the candy and nuts and little
gifts 10 the children. Every member
may bring his family and friend. and
attend to help make happy the hearts
Of the children. There will he u good
musical program.
Tomorrow night at Salvation Army
hQil there will be- the gilt distribu-
iion 10 the children OF the poor. \
Christmas tree will be laden down
with bags OF candy. uuts aud fruit
for the children and some useful lit.
tie gift will be given each one. There
will bc short Christmas program.
The chronicle=news., 1912-12-26
Starkuille Residenf
Dies in Kansas

John Geddcs. former we'll known
resident OF Starkville. died on Tues
day afternoon At Ills home In Pitts
hurgh, Kansas. Death was due to as
thma. complicated with other disor-
ders. The body was received on the
Santa Fe this morning. II was ac-
companied here by son-in-law.
Alexander Kerr and funeral will
take place from the X. G. Sipe I'M
chapel tomorrow afternoon
At 2:3O. The interment will be In
the Odd Fellows cemetery beside the
body OF the wife OF tho deceased who
died Mt Starkvillc in 1901.
The deceased. John Geddes. was ~
years OF age and lived Mt Starkville
for a number of years. lie was an
old experienced coal miner and left
here about twelve years. He was
member OF StarkviIie lodge of Odd
Fellows No. l2I, which order will
have charge OF the funeral tomorrow.
He is survived by three daughters.
Mrs. Walter Kerr of Koehler. n. NJ.
Mrs. Alex. Kerr of Pittsbure, Kans..
and Anna. also of Pittsburg. The
death comes as n shock to Il host OF
friends of the family in this county.
The chronicle=news., 1912-12-26
PRODUCTION
AT THE WEST PLEASES

The Christmas attraction at the
West theatre. "DuBarry," presented
by the Spedden and Paige Stock Co.
proved a highly satisfactory holiday
bill and was wei acted throughout
by the various members OF the cast.
Miss Paige in the leading role being
especially we'll fitted to the part.
Six or seven hundred school children
were afforded highly appreciated
treat in attending the matinee per-
formance as guests OF the Trinidad
Elks. The same company will pre-
sent n repertoire of similar high class
plays each night during the rest OF
the week. prominent among which
may be mentioned "Thelma' for Fri
>A "a -. ~ - u 4
The chronicle=news., 1912-12-26
Harris Arranges
Bout in Pueblo

Fireman Harris. the Trinidad
white hope. has struck pay ore in the
fight game al Pueblo. The biz heavy
weight landed In the Smelter City on
Monday looking for match. visited
the athletic headquarters and sprung
into prominence at once. The result
OF his visit is that he has been
matched TO fight Battling Britt OF
Kansas soon after the first Of the
year and will meet lin Flynn later In
the month. Hrilt IL :lu-pound
man with lots OF experience and u
good record, tie owns farm In
Kanaas but has don. most OF his
fighting In Oklahoma. lie fought a
draw with Morris when Morris was
Ilrst coming out. The match will b."
staged in Pueblo.
Flynn expressed Il desire TO get In
to the rinH with the Trinidad man
and Harris consented to meet the bis
fireman. Local fans are inclined TO
think that Harris Is taking on u pret-
~ biG game for y beginner, Flynn Is
an old experienced fighter with the
best of training to give him an ad-
vantage. Harris. however. believes
he eau sprinx u surprise that will put
him In tn" iopnoi.h class,
Harris returned to Trinidad yes
t.rday and left for Pueblo again to-
day.
The chronicle=news., 1912-12-26
'BUNTY PULLS THE STRINGS"
WILL APPEAR IN TRINIDAD

One Of the theatrical treats Of
many seasons In promised the local
public on January ID. when 'Buniy
Pulls IN" Strings" tn" biggest hit of
the day will be- seen Mt the West
theatre Jacob wiik. business man.
agcr of the show was here to-day. The
play Is the most talked OF produc-
ton ON thu boards today and the
company that viii pr-s-nt the play
here In the original New York and
i.ondon eompony. The company
will make Trinidad Its only Colorado
stop on this trip. going from Kan
xas CITY to III" Pacific coasi. II kOe~
from here to Santa fc and returning
from tho coast will make other Colo
RADIO cities.
This production was held for two
y-arx In New York aud has scored a
triumph everywhere. II will I'M
quest tionably be the feature aitrac.
,ion Of the local season.
The chronicle=news., 1912-12-26

icy before making any hasty or Ill
advised decorations and note the
clause to the effect that this policy
unless otherwise provided by agree
ment endorsed thereon or added
thereto shall be void II the hazard
be increased by any means within
the control or knowledge Of the in
sured. II your premises are damaged
by fire you want your indemnity.
DO nothing. therefore, to impair
your contract.
X. 4. DAUGHERTY.
6 Chief Fire Dept.
The chronicle=news., 1912-12-26
FUNERAL OF MRS. MITCHELL

The funeral OF Mrs. Eliza beth Mar
gare, Mitchell. wife OF !. r. Mitchell.
who died on Monday. will tnke place
at 9 o'clock this afternoon from the
family residence. 1901 San Pedro
street. Rev. r.. q. Butler Of the Bap-
tist church officiating. The mem-
bers Of Justice Circle Women OF
Woodcraft. OF which order the de-
ceased belonged. will attend the fun-
erai in a body. The remains will be
laid at rest at the Masonic cemetery.
The chronicle=news., 1912-12-26
MSS RIE0ELNAN Is
FEATURED IN RED BOOK

Iu the January numbcr OF the Rcd
Book, a picture OF Miss Mabel RicBcl-
man. grand opera star aud former
Trinidad girl. appears. The picture
will he Of interest TO Miss Ricgcl-
mans many friends In Trinidad. who
have watched her rapid advance
mcnt in tho theatrical world with
keen interest. Miss RirYclman has
Visited In Trinidad u number of times
and gave n concert here some five
years ago. She was a granddaughter
OF the late Mrs. Martha Isaacs OF this
city. who died In the fall.
The chronicle=news., 1912-12-26
Pub. Dec. .. isi:--Jau. ~, 1913.
NOTICE

Sealed bids will be received Tor
the construction OF the las Animss
County Court House. until II o'clock
u. m. January l5. 1913. by the Board
OF County Commissioners OF Las AMI.
mas County. Colo. at their OFFICE.
corner Main aud Chestnut Streets.
Trinidad. Colorado. according 10
plans and specifications on I'll. With
I. II. and W. NJ. Rapp company. Ar
chit.c's. Masonic building. Trinidad.
Colo.
All bids to be marked bids on
Court House. and addressed TO the
undersigned. The Board reserves
the right to reject any and all bids.
q. +. HARLAN.
Chairman.
The chronicle=news., 1912-12-26
FUNERAL OF. MRS. WHITE
mr. R,,ror,I ~ N h

White, wife of Jesse White. who
died at the fanny home at FL Moro
on Monday will take place from the
house at II O'Clock Saturday MORN
ing. the Rev. Davis officiating. Inter-
mcnt will he in the X. p. cemetery
here.
Deceased was &C years OF age and
had been a resident OF the county for
over thirty years. She is survived by
daughter.
The chronicle=news., 1912-12-26
NOTICE TO ODD FELLOWS

M"mb"TN oY ShFkVIII" IA3IKr No.
., I. q. u. +. cordially inviic the
members of Trinidad lodge to par
iicipat~ with them In the funeral OF
the lat" departed brother. John
Gctidcs. Funeral at ::3O tomorrow
afternoon from Il. q. SIpc undcrtHk.
Ing chapel.
The chronicle=news., 1912-12-26
SPECIAL WARNING
Relative to Christmas
Decorations

Do not attach tissue paper fcstoon-
ing to electric light globes or shades.
DO not use cotton to represent snow;
use asbestos fibre. DO not use can
dies to give the Christmas tree
brilliant appearance; where illumin-
alton is absolutely necessary have
miniature electric lights installed by
an experienced electrician. Watch
gas jets: inflammablc decorations
may be carried against them by air
currents. Read your insurance pol
The chronicle=news., 1912-12-26
DIES AT HOSPITAL

Within twenty minutes after he
had been removed from his home to
the hospital Ignacio l.arese died.
shortly before five o'clock last ev-
cning. Deceased had been Ill for
some time with dropsy. He resides
at 1926 Spruce street. was fifty-fire
years old. Funeral arrangements
have no, been announced.
The chronicle=news., 1912-12-26

Mrs. Fred Marshall and daughter
Marion returned u T.rcio this AT.
ernoon after spending Christi mas
with friends In Ration.
Mr.. and Mrs. Earl Tucker and son
returned to Valdez this afternoon att.
-r spending Christmas In this city
with Mr.. and Mrs. J. $. Thompson.
The chronicle=news., 1912-12-26
ATTENTION ELKs.

Regular meeting Thursday even-
ing. All members should be pres.
ent. Signcd-L. II. Gottlieb. Exalted
Ruler, A. J. Sanders, Secretary.
The chronicle=news., 1912-12-26

Chronicle-Newa soc per mouth.