davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-01

subgrade was placed four successive
 courses. or layers the statumen or foun-
 dation course, the radius or second | course, the nuelus or third course, and | the pavimentum or wearing surface. The
 top and bottom courses consisted in gen eFal Of large flat stones. while the two
 Intervening courses were built of smaller stones, or other suitable material laid in 1 lime mortar
 l With the fall of the Roman empire the reads were neglected and gradually fell into decay so that today but little more than trace remains of these splendid achievements.
 The above statement contradict the
 often heard assertion that after 1G cen
 turies the Appian Way is In a good state of preservation. which so many of our political good roads enthusiast make. It also tells us that maintenance is an important part of good roads. Our | roads in Jefferson county Is fair sample Of nol-maintenance.
 The book tells us that the present road sy stem of France was really founded by
 Napoleon, who perfected splendid ad- ministrative system The most striking feature of the French road system is the skilled supervision provided in every
 grade of road work and in every unit of the administrative organization The
 basis of the French system is the School
 Of Roads and Bridges, one of the finest technical schools in the world. and main tained entirely at the expense of the na- tional government. From the graduates of this school are chosen the highway e gineers. who. are entrusted with the
 construction and maintenance of the
 roads Of France
 l The United States government would 1 do well 10 pattern after France in this 1 particular and thercoy save to the people millions of dollars Intellectually used. I Yrbe book gives history of the toll roads in Europe and Amerisa: gives a short sketch of Pierre-Marie Tresagnet i John l.oudon NacAda-i and Thomas Til- i ford. Three of the worlds most famous f road builders tells of the steam road roller and the stone crusher, but makes
 no mention of Dr Kings log drag, which ! is in general use and within the reach of | the road builder and farmer. The book
 gives each states highway and road laws
 chapter on Types of Roads, Main
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-01
Mistur Edditur:

Mistur Edditur:
 It don't take much of harker to hark back sum Is or 20 yeers. Those of us who air old enuff can remember the stirring times we had in Alabama in those days, and we can, as before observed, hark back without much trouble. In the days referred to the Populist Party was verry Hefty party, beleeve me, in. Alabama. It had mitey neer all the votes in the state corralled and that's all there is to it. There was just one little thing they overlooked, and that was the counting machines. They got the votes, that is they didn't get them no, that is not what 1 meen; what meen is that evverybody voted the ticket-the Populist ticket-but the Demmycrats did the counting, and ir those days the Demmycrats sertainly could count.
 Capt. Rubin F. Kolb, the present Commissioner of Agriculture, was in those days one of the red-hottest Pop ulists that evver cum down the Pike And the Captain was cumming down the Pike evvery few minnits with a referendum in one hand and an h. issiative in the uther, letting out a lawful holler" about the Free and unlimited coinage of Silver at rasio of sixteen to one, without the aid or consent of enny boddy or enny thing, begosh.
 The Captain was certainly a loud screen with the Populist. He could have just as easily been elected Pres ident as Governor, so far as the votes weer concerned, if it had not been as before mentioned, that sum one else did the counting. This was the only fatal error that the Populist com mitted. They went around the coun- try campaigning, and simply dwindled the opposision down to a meer hand ful, but that handful very thought fully retained the ballot boxes.
 Of corse that was one of the times \when the majority got all rong. When the majority gets all rong, there is but one thing to do, and that is for the abul and intelligent mynor- rity to run the steem roller ovver sed majority until it recuvvers it's equi- libryum. So thinking, the sed mynor- rity, being the Demmycrats, and be- ing vierlently opposed to turning the state affairs ovver to sed rampant majority, who weer certainly rong
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-01

as much as anyone of it's distinguished citizens, and he is entitled to the care- ful consideration of her electorate if he should finally deside that he would again ask them for the Guvvernor's job.
 Nuthing but the worst kind of "grouch" could hold it in for the Cap tain for his participation in the move ment of yeers ago. If he is willing to forget it, don't see that ennyboddy else has enny kick cumming Yours trooly, BILL VINES.
 Washington, D. C.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-01

Catlett. Dudley Disges and other notable statesmen and colonsts and for years has been an officer of the Virginia His l turica society and conducted the geneal- ogical department of the Richmond Times | Dispatch. She is intensely Virginian in taste and ideas and the old aristocracy nf Virginia tits beginning, rise. influence, | fall, after the civil war. and it's courage and confidence since) has been the motif cf her writing. Some years ago she had in the Atlantic Monthly "'rhe Lady and 1 the sParson,' being the second love af- | fair of Governor Spotswoods widow. She ] has written short articles for Harpers | Young People. Ladies Home Journal, Boston Transcript Frank Leslie's Maga- zine etc and each time it is old Vir- sinia. She loves to create the atmos- rhere of her birth and environment. The plantation life and it's influence is gen. erally her theme. Probably Mrs. Robins
 knows more about the mansions of Vir- ginia. their romanees. traditions trage- eies and ghosts than any other woman | She is an expert genealogist and knows Virginia families by heart "Scuffles' Is
 her first novel. The book is admirably illustrated by Harriotte Montague, a well | known southern artist of distinction, and | in this clever book Mrs. Robins has done a remarkable piece of work, wrtirsss with wonderful clearness, brightness and indi- | NluudHtN and II IS Sd1e tO say that ilo
 book of the year will be read by a larger | following than this one from her facile
 zen.
 -ssrHE TOMBoY AND OTHERS By H. B. Marriott Watson. The John
 Lane Company, New York.
 Mir. H. B. Marriott Watson has written | some very clever stories. not the least of 1 which is his latest entitled ''The Tomboy l and Others"
 In this collection of stories MT. Marriott Watson has taken for his theme the 1 young girl of 19 who falls nl love with 1 the young chap of "A. and he tells of their escapades and their final marrying and living happy ever afterward, in most pleasing and original manner.
 "'rhe Tomboy and Others might be lilSened to the Dolly Dialogues ''--clever. lepigramatic and bright wthal.
 "A LOCAL 5COLORISTn
 By Annie Trurnbull Slosson. Charles
 Scribner's Sons. New York. A collection of short stories conposes.
 A Local Colorist by Annie Trumbull Slosson. q.
 The author hes presented some very good work in these four stories and par I ticularlv has she shown individual view point and clear sightedness which is livery compelling.
 K \ good ghost story is always readable and in "A Local Colorist we have one 1 of the best.
 l. There's humorous sketch In dialect l for those who like that sort of reading. lin which many gems of good old New
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-01
THE LOSER PAYS"

day and find entertainment for couple of hours reading.
 THE LOSER PAYS By Mary Openshaw. Small. Maynard X
 Company. New York.
 Stories of the French Revolution are always interesting and none has been pre- sented for perusal more readable and de lightful than that by Mary Openshaw, entitled '"rhe Loser Pays
 There is wonderful amount of imag- nation and study of the times and con aitions surrounding that period and shows the author to be a keen student. not only of people, but events.
 There are few characters in the stories, a fact which appeals to the average reader, and about these Miss Openshaw has gathered her scenic effects and made a remarkably good novel.
 The story is told by man no longer young. who recounts his childish recol- lections of the times.
 This the author has done with an un- usual degree Of cleverness.
 As the son of Rouget de Lisle. the com poser of the 'Marseilaise, the little Louis lives with his maternal grand mother.
 Being a royalist of the most exaggerated type she has disowned the boys father for writing such song
 On account of striking resemblance to the Dauphin. the little Louis meets Marie Antoinette and her ill-fated son
 Then conie detailed accounts of thost stirring and tempestuous times which l., ar directly on the boy and the grea; tragedy ensues of which he is spectator
 There is a romance interwoven in which true love predominates. although num- berless obstacles come in the way. Altogether '"rhe Loser Pays is one of the very hest books which has been published for the past few years.
 CHRONICLES OF AyoNLEA. Fy L. M Montgomery. With frontispiecs ahd cover in color by George Gibbs. |. C. Page 6 Company. Boston.
 chronicles of Avonlea." is a story r which Anne Shirley of Green Tables and Avonlea play some part and which have to do with other personalities and events | including The Hurrying of Ludovic. Olt Lady Lloyd. The Training of Felix. Little Joscelyn. The Winning of Lucinda Ok Han Shaw's Girl Aunt Olvia's Beau The Quarantine at Alexander Abraham $ Pa Sloane's Purchase. The Couitins O Prissy Strong, The Miracle at Carmody ana finally of The End of Quarrel, al related by that clever writer, l.. M- Mont gomery
 The many readers of Miss Montgomery former books win delight in renewing ac auaintance with dear. delightful Ann' Shirley of Green Gables and Asonie.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-01

tenance and Repairs. Dust Proven tives,' Highway Bridges and Culverts,, Bonds Issues, Appropriations and Mile age,' Highway Ofisial' and "Conviet Labor. The officers of the American Highway Improvement are Mir. l.. w. Page director |. $. office of Public Roads; vice president, MT. w. C. Brown. president New York Central lines sec retary and editor, MT. J. F.. Penny packer Jr: treasurer, MT Lee McClung, treasurer of the United States; chairman board of directors, Mr. James $. Harlan, member Interstate Cosnmerce Commits sion. organizer and field secretary, MT Charles P. Light
 The American Association for Highway Improvement was organized at Washing ton. D. C.. November %, 1910.
 It's purposes are: To correlate and har- monize the efforts of all existing organ izations working for road improvement.
 To arouse and stimulate sentiment for road improvement.
 To strive for wise, equitable and uni form road legislation in every state
 To aid in bringing about efficient road administration in the states and their of skilled supervision and the elimination of politics from the management of the public roads.
 To seek continuous and systematic maintenance of all roads according to traffic requirements. payment of road taxes in cash and adoption of the prin- cple of state aid and state supervision
 To advocate the correlation of all road construction, so that the important roads of each county shall connect with those of the adjoining counties. and the im- portant roads of each state shall connect with those of adjoining states.
 To strive for the utilization of convict la bor on works of public improvement where that course is consistent with the local policy. so as to involve the least possible competition with free labor. the utmost public benefit and healthy moral and physical development of the convict. In mrnu states these results can be at tained by using the convicts in road ork or the preparation of road material.
 The book has TO literary merit, but is valuable for it's data on state road laws, for it's scientific and economic sugces- tons on ways and means of building roads and highways. and for their main- .tsnance and the many advertisements of road machinery and road material. BY
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-01
Battle of the Currents

From the New York Post.
 For several years there has been a controversy-so somewhat acrld because tangled up with large financial interests between the advocates of two forms of electric railroading, one using direct and the other alternating current as source of power. The third-fail install lation or the New York Central road is an example of the former and the single phase, overhead feeder system of the New Haven typifies the latter A well-known advocate of direct current methods pub ished not long ago in the London Times a sharp criticism of alternating current systems virtually declaring them fail- ure when compared with direct current instalations-in the matter of first cost, economy of operation, reliability and pret- ty much everything else, in fact Tltis has now brought forth a reply from MT w. S. Murray, the electrical engineer siof the New Haven, which is of considerable general interest because it gives few new facts regarding the practical work ing of the New Haven, electriflcation and facts regarding the latter have been hoar- ded rather closely by that railroad-for various reasons no doubt.
 Mir Murray thus sums up lis railroads experiences: Our power house contains 45 600 horsepower for the generation of single-phase current. Our track e.ectri- fication for 1912 will be 552 miles tno board of directors recently outthorized an extension of the electrified zone to New Haven, seventy-three miles from New York) Our locomotive equipment' including multiple unit motor cars, will aggregate 125,O00 horsepower. The invest ment cost of the system will be between 75 and 80 per cent of that required for an equal direct current identification. Our all-day efficiency is 15 per cent higher than the direct-current third-rail system. These are some of the facts that indicate the faith the board of directors of the New York New Haven X Hartford railroad have shown in spending upward of slo,ooo- coo on the single-phase system
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-01

i, fame In this new book Anne is just as charming and original as of yore as she fits through the various chronicles. The other people, old friends some of them. are in their own way, equally as inter- esting and entertaining all in all the book shows the same charm of fancy, the same power of characterization and the same glowing imagery which distinguishes the authors earlier books
 The chronicles are models of good story telling, marked by naturalness of char acter, delcacy of touch, simplicity of plot and distinction of style.
 "GRANDMA" By Elizabeth Lincoln Gould. Illustrated by Mary Pemberton Ginther The Penn Publishing Company, Philadelphia "A pure breath of air from the country | hills" is Grandma" the beautiful story | from the pen of Elizabeth Lincoln Gould
 The story isv that of a dear old lady, ] p-ho is "Grandma Willis to all her little l town, who spends winter in the city 1 with her son and his family. The tbig 1 apartment. house seems to her very Sun reighborly, and she is surprised and hurt by the sefshness on every side. But Grandma simple, trustful spirit con quers much of this by not seeing it. saves I Ter son from serious difficulty, and wins her circle of devoted friends It is story of unusual humor and tenderness trat revives ones faith in human nature
 .,BABY GRAND.' l By John Luther Long. Richard G. Bad i ger. Publisher The GorIiian Press, Bos- | ton. tttstr 1 In the world of letters today there is no more beautiful writer than John Luther Long. whose The Darling of tho Gods, Madame Butterfly, Miss Cher " Blossom and other stories, occupy | n place that could not be filled by any ether stories.
 1 There is a dsintiness. aebealIty and l sweetness about this authors writings that is iuimftahle and after reading his 1 collections Of short stories Baby Grand" inc reader is more than eser Impressed with bis wonderful insight into human nature-the heart and soul of men-than ever before.
 Stories of the sea many of them in- eluding Baby Grande sT'oms Dick and Harry ct Cetera." and "Dolly Jack while the most exauste gem of the en- : tire collection. "Dull Jim.r is totally diff l ferent
 1 No more beautiful thing has ever been i rennei unless re*hapsS it is the last | story in the collection. entitled The Lady 1 Who Worldnt Spoil Christmas"
 "Ilaby Grand is n rare trest. and the reader of choice tictfon Will miss great oportunity If he doesn't read this charm | ing collection of stories by MT. Long. l OTHER BOOKS ~rsrFrvED tREVIEWS, I LATER.(
 MARY. PECHELi. By Mrs, Belloc ov,ndcs. Charles scribners Sons, New York.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-01
.rHE ROSE orsAI-zENBrRG., :,

Ey M.F. Latham-Norton. The Broad
 way Publishing Company. New York.
 When the reader has reached the final, of The Rose of Au=elburg." the charm ing novel by M r. Latham-Norton the impression is that another Anthony Hope has come among us and the Zenda" at mosphere is predomina:;t
 The reading public win call for more from the gifted pen of this young woman, which will no doubt be fulfilled In the
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-01

near future, which is brilliant with pos sibilities
 ,The Rose of Auzenburg' is laid in a mythical kingdom in the Balkan region, full of romance and adventure and a beautiful setting for novel of stirring adventure and thrilling detail. Into "The Rose of Auzenburg'' are in- troduced the following characters:
 Ferdinand III. Emperor of Auzenburg and King of Athol Count Van Hellick, Baron Won Betrom prime ministers; Lord Ravenswood, British ambassador; Lady Ravenswood, his wife: Marie q Auchau- sen an American girl: Harold Hunting ton her cousin; Antonio Welbenovtch, secretary to his majesty Otto .von Wei ben, the Emperor's aide; Ivan Nacoii, Russian prince, and minor characters.
 The young monarch, of course. is the hero of the story. handsome, brave. heart whole and faocy-free, and taking the posi- ton that if he can rescue the financial situation (which is perilous) of his own country. by his own efforts, he will not enter into any matrimonial alliance that will hamper him.
 Chancellors and ministers of state inter- cede and persuade. but he stands firm in his decision. absorbing himself in state craft and working out his own salvation and that of his kingdom in a most re- markable manner.
 Presently beautitul American Slfl ap- pears upon the scene and the young ting. Ferdinand of .Auzenburg, meets her-then the real story begins At the proper moment the attractive i American girl always appears and al- tae rar-ig monarch at the psychological moment. o ,,f the reader ask as a | background for d love stcHy? Anvway. through myriads Of adventure, ( ,ritI1 and + xit,o pr a a l tral figures, and at no time does the cour-
 age of either lag i1 their devotion for eac, ether.
 ! Intrigue and adventure, experiences 1 hu l u us anl unusual. abound. but the end iustifes the means, and the denoue-
 ,nent is just what you want-a happy one. | The writer is very clever with her pen,
 her descriptions, her dialogues, her die ! ton and her clever plot. making an ap-
 peal that Is wonderful in one so young. and the literary world is unquestionably
 henehtted by this young authors pen,
 "scUyFLEs.'
 1 By Sallie Nelson Robins. Illustrated oy Farriotte AIontagre The Alice liar iiman Company. New York. Tha a--thor of .'scuffles," Sni'e Ne'so, Robins. is one of the most i1teresting of characters. beiag the assistant librarian 0. the Virginia Historical society of Rich n.ond, Va.
 She was herself born in tester .te1 in an old mansion in Gloucester county, vir- Einia. just stones throw from the spot Where Pocahontas rescued John Smith, She is descendant Of Thomas Nelson, King Carter Speaker Robinson, John
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-01

England speech are preserved. which it would have been a pity to lose.
 "A Local Colorist' is a delightful book to pick up at leisure during summer day and find entertainment for couple of hours reading.
Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1912-10-08
ngalow Addition To Pemb

in the best part of the best town in Kentuc
three-minutes walk from the High School,
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1912-01-02
ADMIRAL AND VICE ADMIRAL
Bill Introduced to Recreate the Two
Grades In the Navy.

Bill Introduced to Recreate the Two
Grades In the Navy.
Intended to obviate the embarrass-
ments high ranking naval officers Of
the United States have felt in the past
when at gatherings with ranking ma
val officers of other nations, bill has
been introduced in the house by Rep
resentative e. w. Roberts Of Massa-
chusetts proposing to recreate the
grades of admiral and vice admiral of
the navy.
The bill provides that the rank of
vice admiral shall be filed from the
list of rear admirals who have served
as commanders of fleets. squadrons or
divisions. The rank of admiral is to
be filed from the list of vice admirals.
There have been no admirals or vice
admirals on the active list since i'm
mediately after the civil war
BY the provision of the bill the rank
Of admiral carries with it salary Of
$13.5OO and that of vice admiral Sill
600. The bill allows for two year
extension of active service for both
ranks. providing for retirement at the
age of sixty-ive. with retired pay
equal to three-fourths the active pay.
The bill also provides that any one of
the two ranks availing himself Of vol
untary retirement shall receive the re-
tired pay of the next lowest rank.
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1912-01-02
MORE MEN THAN WOMEN
I'M THE UNITED STATES.
Census Bureau Figures Show 106 Males
to Every 100 Females.

A statement giving for continental
United States the distribution of the
population according to sex, as shown
by the returns of the 1910 census, has
been issued.
In the United States as a whole there
are 1882. 122 males and 44,640, IA fe-
males. or proportion of log males for
every 100 females.
Considerable interest attaches to the
deviation from the numerical equality
of the two sexes here noted. While it
is commonly assumed that the two sex
es are equal in number, the fact is that
there is always a slight difference be-
tween them Most northern European
countries show an excess of females.
The contrary fact in the United States
has been generally aseribed to the eff
fects of immigration, as it is well
known that among immigrants males
predominant to large extent.
Among the foreign white there are
1892 males for every 100 females, this
proportion rejecting the familiar fact
already noted with respect to the ex-
cess of males among immigrants.
But this excess of males is also fosnd
in the largest single group Of the
population of the United States the
native white Of native parents. OF the
latter there are 25,229294 males and
24.250,147 females. or a proportion Of
1O4 males for every 100 females. This
disparity is due wholly to natural
causes. The only other cause which
rould affect it n emigration from the
United States. and such emigration is
small and is certainly not greater in
/ case of females than in case of males.
Among the native white of foreign
parents the numbers Of the two sexes
are almost equal. with a slight excess
of females
Among the negroes. however, there
is a more noticeable preponderance Of
females, $50 males to 100 females.
The group "all others in which
there are nearly twice as many males
| as females. is composed of Indians and
immigrant Asiatics. the latter being
mainly male.