davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Douglas Island news., 1913-01-29
The N0rthIand
The Latest News, from Reliable Sources, Concerning the Great
 North. Condensed.
Information for Everybody.

A case of diphtheria has been report ed at Sitka.
 William Dibblee, Whitehorse pio- neer, died last week.
 How about the report of the Alaska Railroad Commission?
 The Golden North hotel at Skagway had close call from fire one day last week.
 Down at Prince Rupert over S6OO,OOO was expended on public works in the year 1912
 Senator Tanner, of Skagway, wants to be United States marshal for the First division.
 The old fashioned report that the "President will visit Alaska" is again going the rounds.
 c. G. Coutant, at one time in the newspaper business at Juneau, died re- gently at Grants Pass, Ore.
 An exchange says that Jack Dalton has patched up his differences with the Copper River & Northwestern By.
 The Juneau Daily Empire asserts that gum shoe methods have utterly failed to eliminate the bootlegger. evil.
 The U. s. senate passed the appropri. ation of S45, ,26o to defray the expenses of the first session of the Alaska legis- lature.
 The hotel at Bitter Creek, on Port land canal, two story frame structure, was wrecked by snow slide from the mountain.
 Reports are to the effect that Louis R. Glavis is guilty of crookedness. This will come as a great surprise, but not to Alaskans.
 The mistakes of Moses are as noth- ing to the Skagway paper, which is now devoting it's attention to the mistakes of Governor Clark.
 Under the Alaska code it does not make it criminal for bank to accept deposits or pay out money when in an insolvent condition.
 George Harkrader, of Juneau, who located coal land on Admiralty island in 1891, is to be granted patent by the U. s. government.
 A diligent search has failed to reveal the whereabouts of George E. Stocking, supposed to be in Alaska. A fortune awaits him in Illinois.
 E.A. Gregg. a resident of Wrangell, 25 years of age, trapping in the Iskut river country, died on Christmas day. presumably of heart failure.
 The largest canoe in the world to be hewn from one tree, is now in the course of construction near Wrangell by T. E. Brandon. of San Francisco.
Douglas Island news., 1913-01-29

A company has been formed with a capitalization of S225,000 for the pur- pose of manufacturing briquettes from the vast Alaska deposits of Ignite coal. The incorporators of the company are Henry Sundermeier, wealthy German capitalist of St. Paul, Minnesota, and Willie Summerville Royle, of London, representing English capital.
 William Taylor, of Fairbangks, is en- gagged in business that has many ad- vantages. One of them is the lack of competition. Mr. Taylor's business consists of making contracts with vari- ous people in all parts of Alaska for the delivery of foxes, alive and in good condition, to be shipped to breeding farm in Eastern Canada, operated by the concerns which Taylor represents.
 The Ketchikan Miner tells the sad experience of fish dealer, as follows: c. o. Julian is in receipt of bad news regarding a shipment of salt herring shipped to the Orient on the steamer Fitz Clarence. It appears that when the vessel was within couple of hun dred miles or so of the Japanese coast she encountered such severe gales that she was driveu back almost all the way to Alaska, and in the struggle to hold her own against the winds and eVen- tually make her way to Yokohama she was compelled to tear out and burn every partition and other wooden fix ture on board, following it up with thousands of sacks of flour and wind up with 700 tons of salt herring Mir. Julian's company, Oriental Import < Export Co.,, had on board. The insur- ance company of course paid for the burned cargo, but on the basis of mar ket price on this side of the Pacific, and not the Oriental side. This,inci- dent, coupled with the inability to get cargo space on trans-Pacific steamers, will put quite crimp in the company's herring business this season.
 San Francisco.-What the Ferris Wheel was to the Chicago exposition and the Eiffel Tower was to the Paris exposition, as an advertising feature, the Horoscope" wonderful and novel contrivance that will raise passengers to an elevation of 268 feet, which is four feet higher than the elevation reached by the Ferris Wheel, promises to add to the attractiVeness of the 1915 Worlds Fair. The Horoscope" con- sists of crane arms 240 feet in length mounted on tower 50 feet high. The crane arms are made up of two parallel riveted trusses. The short arm is 40 feet long and carries counterweight to balance the weight of the long, or 200 foot arm, which carries the cage for passengers. The cage is double-decked and the operator who controls 1t IS 10 cated in the center of the upper deck. The tower is structural steel frame work resting on circular rack on a concrete foundation. This circular rack permits of the rotation of the tower about its central vertical axis. At the top of the tower is horizontal trunnion shaft on which the crane re. wolves. The cage is supported on a trunnion shaft fixed to the extreme end of the 200 foot arm. This cage swings above and on each side of the trunnion shaft, always remaining in an upright position due to the combined action of 9 counterwelght and parallel guide rod.
Douglas Island news., 1913-01-29

Mrs. G. M. Riser, who was taken to a Seattle hospital from Bethel, Alaska, has recovered sufficiently to leave the institution. Mrs. Riser is well known to many travellers in Alaska.
 Mir. Fletcher T. Hamshaw, with party of ten prospectors and miners, thirteen horses and thirty five tons of provisions, have gone over the White Pass, bound for the White river coun- try.
 Judge Lyons sent a man to jail in Valdez for living with native woman without going through the formality of marriage. He says such actions must and will not be tolerated under his jurisdiction.
 Peter Allen, who disappeared last summer from Dawson, taking with him poke of gold which did not be long to him, is to be returned to the Yukon Territory from Alaska under extradition proceedings.
 Knute Nelson, United States senator from Minnesota since 1895, was recently reelected by the state legislature. All Alaskans have reason to know Senator Nelson, because of the interest he has shown in the affairs of the territory.
 As an experiment, the people of Ketchikan are burning coal briquettes, which are composed of washed coal dust stuck together with crude oil and then moulded into round briquettes about 115 inches thick and three inches across.
 Jack Hopkins, Bob Roberts and Peter Funcic have been arrested at Wrangell charged with stealing a large amount of fish gear from the cannery at Point Ward. They were bound over by the commissioner to the grand jury, and in default of bail are in charge of the marshal.
 Owing to the increase in the mum Der of prisoners from Alaska iu the United States penitentiary at McNeils island, that institution is being badly crowded. There is every probability that many of the long term prisoners will be moved from their present quarters to the big government jail at Atlanta, and thus make more room for the Pacific coast criminals.
 John Johnson, with his team of Si- berian wolf dogs, was the winner of the Solomon Derby on Saturday. The route was from Nome to Solomon and return, distance of slxty.four miles. Johnson's time was six and half hours. There were six entries, among them Scotty Allen, who drove Mrs. c. B. Darling's team, twice winners of the All.Alaska Sweepstakes.
 A cable dispatch from Nome, dated January z, records the departure from that place in the depth of winter of the newly-elected territorial senator and two representatives on their way to Juneau, there to attend the first session of the first territorial legislature of Alaska. These legislators have before them 1000 mile journey by dog team before they can reach the open water at Cordova, whence they will take a steamship to Juneau, thus completing the last leg of their loug journey. The legislature itself convenes on the first Monday in March.
Douglas Island news., 1913-01-29

! Senator Wesley l.. Jones, of Wash ington, has introduced bill to allow coal claimants whose applications for patent have been rejected to take their cases to the federal courts; also a bill to increse the appropriation for the Alaska cable.
 Seattle steamship companies have been notified by the branch dydro. graphic office at Port Townsend of the opening of the naval radio stations at St. Paul island, Dutch Harbor, Unalga, Kodiak, Cordova and Sitka to com mercial messages, which will greatly facilitate the handling of wireless mes- sages between ship and shore stations. Messages will be accepted from ships at sea at any of these stations for local delivery, or for any other station, at the rate of 5 cents per word. Con- munication between Sitka and Cordova will be made at war department cable rates.
 W. A. Vinal, United States Commis- missioner at Ophir, tells the following story of the Indian uprising in the Cook inlet country: eve, F.A. Twitch- ell, of the Kuskokwim Commercial Co. at Tacotna, my mife and 1, were on the trail between Susitna station and Knik when we went into camp for the night. After supper we were reused out by the appearance of Mir. and Mrs. O. N Cooper, the government school teachers at Tyonik, who stopped at our tent and asked if they could stop there for the night. There was blizzard blowing and the snow was, badly drifted TO we made room for them and as soon as they were in the tent and had had something to eat they told us the fol- lowing tale: 1t appears that there is shortage of grub at Tyonik, and as soon as the natives began to get short they began begging from the mission. We gave to them as long as we were able. and soon their requests became de- mands, and we were getting short of grub for ourselves. They even wanted the sewing machine Mrs. Cooper had taken in with her, and the refusal to give the machine up to them apparent ly angered them more than the failure to supply them with grub. They were bold and insulting and daily taunted us with our helplessness. We kept the school open as long as we were ables and one day little native girl told Mrs. Cooper that unless the natives were supplied with plenty of food and the sewing machine they were going to come in the night and kill both of the teachers. At this we became alarmed and barricaded ourselves in the school house, prepared to stand siege The Coopers had native girl who was learning housekeeping and was doing the cooking for them. One day they were both taken violently ill, and fear ing they had been poisoned they dis missed the girl and were alone in the cabin. All day long they saw the na- tives lowering about their cabin, and as soon as darkness fell they resolved to make run for it and try and reach either Susitna station or Knik, where where there is large white settlement. At the time of their departure blind ing blizzard was blowing, and 1t was largely to the weather conditions that they feel they owe their escape, as g native will not expose himself to 8 storm if there is any way to avoid it."
Douglas Island news., 1913-01-29

Mrs. G. M. Riser, who was taken to a Seattle hospital from Bethel, Alaska, has recovered sufficiently 10 leave the institution. Mrs. Riser is well known to many travellers in Alaska.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-07
'AUL COOK,
...........................s,.
"THE, IN ENGLAND.

Paris Letter to the London Telegraph.
D'Annunzio, an excellent English
scholar himself, likes to tell the following
story. One day Nine. Ida Rubinstein's
maid, when handing him cup of tea
D'Annunzio's favorlte beverage and one
whose many merits he has mentioned in
his works-ventured to ask whether tea
was not very popular drink in England.
She had gathered that it was. she said,
by looking through English novels.
what. do you know English?" asked
the poet, surprised at such eruditon.
NO." said the ingenious maid, "but when
1 turn the pages of the novels / read at
every second line the word the 1t Is
awful to think of the amount of it that
must be drunk in England"
"And what did you say, Cher Maitre?"
the hearers of the anecdote never fail to
ask.
II told her." says the poet, with
smile, that 1t is certainly an article very
much in favor in Great Britain
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-07
BIRMINGHAMs DEFICIT.
n the ChattanoOga News.

From the Chattanooga News.
A serious situation is threatening Bir
mingham. The city government is rum
ming behind financially at the rate of
about $1,000 a day, the deficit being made
UP from time to time by the issuance
of bonds. The reason given for the de-
ficit is that the tax rate limited by law
is; SO small that sufficient income is
not produced for the many departments
of a great and rapidly growing city.
The tax assessment is not more than 80
per cent of the real value. Nearly all the
appropriations have been exceeded That
for schools was $200,0OO a year, but it has
been exceeded by $Se,000. A general cut of
salaries, including the salaries of the COM
missioners, has been resolved upon and
several subsidiary offices abolished. The
city will no longer provide automobiles
or other vehicles for the chief of police,
the sanitary inspector, etc. With all the
saving, however, only about $4,000 has
been cut off. In rapidly growing city
like Birmingham, it is very difficult to
hold down expenses. Probably the ex-
tension of the city limits so as TO cover
about SO square miles, or about seven
times the area of Chattanooga, is partly
responsible for the extravaganza In
such city there are enormous demands
for construction, sewer work, fire and po-
lice department, schools, health and
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-07
Many Church Baxars

with the near approach of the Christ
mas holiday comes the usual church ba-
Ears and corner pots for the purpose
of securing funds to Sec that the poor
of the city have a pleasant Christmas,
said suburbanite.
'It seemed that a church from some
section of the city was holding a bazaar
on almost every downtown street dur
ing the week just closed. And, my, how
the public did patronize them all! Every
place 1 passed had its quota of pretty
misses with smiling faces, and, comely
matrons with flushed faces, and all
seemed perfectly happy that their bazar
was such a success.
81 noticed in one of the papers few
days ago that the restaurants of the
city were planning to complain to the
city commissioners of these church din
ners. Well, If the restaurant men can
not stand competition two or three weeks
or a month out of 12 and especially com
petition which gives all the money it
secures to a worthy cause, think they
should try some other city. We have
no place in Birmingham for such I'M
charitable persons, for Birmingham's rep
utation as city of generous people must
be maintained"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-07
Needing Legislative Action

Sydney J. Bowie writes letter to
The Age-H Herald, which will be found
on another page, pointing out and dis
cussing with characteristic clarity
and vigor two important matters call
ing for legislative action, in addition
to Birmingham's financial distress
and the fee system.
In view Of the demand for an extra
session of the Legislature in the near
future, Mr.. Bowie emphasizes Ala
bama's standing in relation to illit-
eracy. This state is practically at the
bottom. The only way the rural public
schools of Alabama can be helped is
for the voters to be given the right
to tax themselves in their school dis
tricts for school improvement. The
trainers of the constitution seemed to
have been afraid to trust the people
in the matter of school taxation. That
was one of the serious mistakes the
constitutional convention of 1901
made. Two bills to submit to the peo-
pie a school district taxing amend
ment have failed, but the last time
only a very slight majority was re-
corded against this measure.
With reasonably active campaign
of education there could be scarcely
any doubt of the measure referred to
passing the next time the Legislature
was in session. An amendment to the
constitution would in time put Ala
bama in class with the best rural
school states, and in The course of a
few wears the table of illiteracy would
be materially changed.
The other question that Mr.. Bowie
discusses is that of the cumulative,
poll tax. 1t is estimated that about
one-half of the white men of Ala
bama of voting age are disqualified
because of poll tax arrears. Many
men through inadvertence owe poll
taxes dating from the time the con-
stitution was adopted until now. Until
the law has been changed Alabama's
electorates will continue to fall away,
and of course, everyone can see that
such a condition does not promote
patriotism or public spirited citi-
zenship.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-07

Perfecting Underwood Organization
From the very time that Oscar W.
Underwood announced his candi-
dacy for the United States Senate
he was recognized as the logical man
for the high honor, and as the cam
paign progresses democrats in every
part of the state are enthusiastic in
their support and feel assured of
large majority over Captain Hobson,
Mr.. Underwood's only opponent. He
is the logical candidate because OF
his splendid achievements in the
House of Representatives and his
especial equipment for service in the
upper house of Congress. Any man
who wins nation wide fame as a
statesman sheds luster upon his state.
Mr.. Underwood, by his able leader
ship, has greatly strengthened the
democratic party, and not in recent
years has Alabama had a democrat
of his acknowledged influence or ca
pacity for sustained parliamentary
work. Not only is Alabama's illus
trious son a constructive statesman,
but his democracy is simon pure.
The great majority of democrats
of Alabama can be trusted to vote
for stanch party man such as Mr..
Underwood has been and always will
be. It is simply a question of the
size of the vote he will receive. His
supporters are organizing in every
county in the state with view of
rolling up a record breaking majority.
His followers need not be vociferous
or noisy, but every Underwood man
should manifest a lively interest in
the campaign and should keep his
shoulder we'll to the wheel. There
must be no apathy in any part of the
state.
Mr.. Underwood is at his post of
duty in Washington, but he will re-
turn to Alabama during the holidays
and make many addresses and meet
personally thousands of voters. In the
meantime, his friends who have under
taken to make his organization a
model of compactness and efficiency,
will leave nothing undone that will
promote the Underwood cause.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-07
A WALK-TALK

From the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
Hartford, Ct, has an interesting insti-
tuition called the 'walS-talk." 1t is mere
ly a public pilgrimage to the woods of
the city parks where an authorized in
structor takes charge of the pedestrians
and tells them about the trees, and also
about the birds and flowers if any are to
be found.
A more admirable municipal activity is
scarcely imaginable. 1t tends to coax
into the woods some who would not ven
ture forth without special inducement,
and for many others it offers an oppor-
tunity for instruction in lore which has
for them a peculiar appeal. How many
there are who would like to know the
names of the flowers and the birds and
who can find no one to inform them!
Pedestrianism is peculiarly delightful in
the cold days of the late fall, a season
which does not afford a great variety of
natural objects for discussion. But even
in the autumn there is enough of spe-
cific interest in the woods to provide texts
for many interesting discourses by the
conductor of the walk-talk.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-07
POLICE IN URUGUAY.

Form the Youths Companion.
The policemen of Montevideo are mostly
of Indian origin. They are always cour-
teous and polite. but they are great stick
lers for etiquette. Through ignorance of
their customs, foreigner sometimes
finds himself in an embarrassing situation.
One day last summer a well dressed
American stepped up to a policeman in
the Plaza In dependencia and said in
very good Spanish:
''Will you please tell me where the
Gale Rincon is?''
The policeman looked haughtily at the
stranger and turned away.
The American tried again with still
more courtesy:
to very accommodatingly tell me where
the Gale Rincon is?'
To his establishment, the policeman re-
torted:
you have no manners, sir!'
Needless to say the American was
quite abashed, but he had to find the
Gale Rincon, so he put the question to
a Spanish youth who was standing near.
The youth answered very cordially and
went some little distance to direct the
stranger properly. After the American
had thanked him. he asked:
"Why did the policeman refuse to an
swer me?''
Because" replied the youth. when
you addressed him you neglected to take
off your hat"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-07
The Art of TOastmastering

Everyone is familiar with the
phrase, ga born story-teller." There
never was truer saying, for, like
the more .palpitant poets, story-tellers
are born and not made. Fortunate is
the man who recognizes this fact and
spares his friends those painful ef-
forts at which they are supposed to
laugh, but find great difficulty in do
ing so. And while it is true, that good
story-tellers sometimes made good
I toastmasters, that is not always the
case. The similarity of the two is that
the postmaster of parts, like the
story-teller, is born and not made.
Some men have a natural gift at pro-
noting the flow of reason and the
feast of soul that is presumably found
at all banquets worthy of the name,
while others fail lamentably.
The man who essays the difficult
task of 'toastmastering for the first
time, even when he feels deep down
in his heart that he is destined some
day, or night, to become famous in
that role, suffers an attack of "stage
fright" that would make the average
novice on the stage feel almost calm
by comparison. Your true toastmas-
ter is Creator" In popular par
lance, he must produce" he must
"deliver" the goods, the children of
his own brain, before his reputation
is reasonably secure.
A POSTMASTER can sometimes get
through an evening fairly well by
using borrowed stuff" but the
chances are that he will be found out
and will so decline in the estimation
of his acquaintances that he will
never again be called on to act in that
capacity. But the toastmaster who
scintillates on his own initiative, who
has a keen sense of humor, ready
tongue and some knowledge Of the
foibles of his fellow man will never
! lack opportunities to preside. He will
be much sought after. If the juice Of