davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-03-24
No Mercy for a Bird Pest

The biological survey at Washing
ton calls for campaign of extermi-
nation agaist that rat of the bird
kingdom, the English sparrow. 1t eats
beneficial insects, consumes great
quantities of grain, and reduces the
numbers of desirable birds. 1t defiles
buildings, trees, shrubs and vines, and
is altogether unwelcome.
This bird was brought to this coun-
try just before the civil war and it
has multiplied rapidly-so rapidly
that there is scarcely county in the
country that is hot afflicted with its
descendants. Millions upon millions of
them are to be found in this broad
country today.
The biological survey recommends
the use of traps against them. They
feed in flocks and traps can be used
to great advantage against them. A
campaign on a large scale against the
pests would no doubt largely reduce
their number, and possibly the coun-
try could be rid of them by maintain
ing the campaign throughout period
of five years. Everybody should be en-
couraged to shoot them at any rate.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-03-24
MAKING AN ACTRESS FAMOUS

From THE Autobiography of a Press
= Agent" in the American Magazine.
MY stunt at the start was to make
a certain young lady famous as queen
of the stage. Two hundred and sixty
odd photographs of her in two hundred
and sixty odd poses were made at my
direction and published at my earnest
solicitation-pictures exhibiting her
playing with her dolls Gall young ac-
tresses collect and play with dolls).
work in her garden, rowing boat, sail
ing sloop, writing her memoirs, at
home with her books, consulting her
dressmaker, debating TO her secretary,
stepping into her limousine, entering
the stage door, broiling a steak. mend
ing her little brothers stockings. rid
ing her favorite saddle horse, playing
golf. and watching baseball game. In
photographers studios 81 more mega
tives were exposed, displaying the star
in every conceivable kind of costume.
With these and the less stilted snap
shots and f1ash-l lights I plastered the
national press, and although she had
no dolls, never had puttered abound a
garden, couldn't row boat, hadn't the
slightest idea of sloop, possessed no
literary ability (not even enough to
write memoirs), had no library, could
not cook, had no little brother, could
not ride horse, didn't understand golf,
and loathed baseball, the pictures got
INTO print, and my stories with Them.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-03-24
Stock Watering Championed

The stock waterers have cham
pion in Rufus G. Dawes OF Chicago
Stock watering is practiced for three
purposes, namely, to deceive the unln-
formed into the idea that they are
buying investments of real value; TO
obscure the earning of large profits;
to enable the promoters to get all the
profits if the enterprise is successful,
and if not, to shove the loss on the
actual investors.
The practice is largely used in en-
terprises built on the proceeds OF
bonds. In such enterprises per cent
may be paid on the bonds and per
cent on the stock, or per cent on the
actual investment. And if the en-
terprise fails to earn the interest on
the bonds, then the bondholders suf-
fer. while the watered stock goes un-
touched.
Mr.. Dawes tries to snow that Drains
and industry are entitled to chance
in an enterprise even if they do not
pay dollar for dollar. The trouble rs
brains and industry have no right to
commit frauds on other brains and in
dustry.
Mr.. Dawes entire plea is plea
for rascality in nine cases out OF 10,
and in the remaining case the rascality
is superfluous. y
The practice of stock watering is
an imposition on the public in all
public service corporations, and in
those at least it should be forbidden.
1t is better to put it outside of law
in all corporations. The country has
outgrown it.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-03-24

From the Strand.
| In the April Strand Magazine Sir
Joseph Lyons. the biggest caterer in
England-perhaps in the world-tells
the story of how he first conceived the
idea of feeding the masses" 1t CHANGED,
he says, that, to satisfy the inner man,
one morning in the eighties l strolled
into dirty--to me, repelent-little
London restaurant. These unappetizing
Establishments were almost invariably
small, being limited in the capacities
for cooking and serving OF the man and
his wife, with, perhaps one or two
walters They We're also almost in
variably dark, stuffy little places, often
infested with cockroaches; and as for
their kitchens, they were things liable
to cause nghtmares-anyway 1 pre-
fer not to tell of them. The city clerk
who wanted snack had to pay cents
for a cup of coffee or tea, cent tip,
and or cents for a bun 1t goes
without saying that these charges were
beyond his slender means; result he
adjourned to the nearest bar and had
a glass of beer.
Well, on the occasion to which | re-
fer l entered the said restaurant" or
dered the least uninviting dish | could
hit upon, and turned things over in my
mind during the Internationally long
time / had to wait for the arrival of my
repast. / had often enough before this
reflected how great fortunes had been
made by the discovery of some simple
universal want waiting to be supplied.
In flash it came to me that / had
discovered just such a simple unsup-
piled universal want-clean and decent
fare in bright and congenial surround
ings at a reasonable price.
And there and then was laid the
foundationstone of business which
now feeds about 100000 of the in
habitants of London, and which ON
for over 100000 men, women and chill
dren-a business, too, which finds work
for nearly 10000 employees, which pos
sesses $50 branches (the number is
steadily increasing, both in London and
the provinces), and which has no fewer
than 10000 agents throughout the
country selling our wares" Yes, in Il
small way-and l write it with due
lhumility-a chance visit of a discon-
tented artist to dirty restaurant has
exercised considerable influence, in
deed, over the lives OF a very large
section of men, women and children in
Great Britain.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-03-24
THE FIRST WOMAN SENATOR

From the Woman's Home Magazine.
"This year, in which for the first time
a woman cast an electoral vote for pres
idential candidate (even though for a los
ing one), has also been signalized by the
first appearance of a woman as member
of the senate of one of these United
States We have had several woman
MAYORS and woman members of the lower
houses of state legislatures, but Mrs.
Helen Ring Robinson mas the distinction
OF being the first senator of her sex IN
this country. Colorado has had equal SUI
frage for 10 years, and the lower branch
of the legislature that met two years ago
had four woman members. These women
conscientiously championed measures
emanating from womens clubs and simi-
lar organizations, especially such meas
ures as were framed to better the condl-
ton of working women and to safeguard
the morals of the young; but at the END
of the session, as at the end of preceding
sessions the women of the state found
that their pet bills had been so al
tered in committee and in the senate as
to be unrecognizable. So they determined
to elect woman to the upper house 10
look after their interests in that bocy.
Under the old convention system they
could never have secured place on the
ticket for their candidate, but fortunately
last year there were no primary conven-
tions In Colorado. Under the new law
all nominations were made by petition,
and no other petition filed with the secre-
tary of state carried as many signatures
as that for the nomination. of Mrs. Rob-
inson. Her election followed by a vote IN
which party lines were disregarded.
..Mrs. Robinson comes from New Eng
land and is a graduate of Wellesley.
Prior to her marriage with Ewing Rob-
irson, an attorney of Denver, she was
teacher in a school for girls; she has re-
tanned her active interests in all educa-
tional matters, and her home in Denver
is looked upon as something of cultural
center. She has daughter now attending
a. preparatory school. Mrs. Robinson took
no part in the effort to secure her nomi-
nation. confinng her campaign to few
public statements in which she epitomized
her views, incidentally declaring con-
certed motherhood to be prime need IN
LEGISLATION
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-03-24
The Great yirtuosos

while money making Is not the test
of greatness the musical artists who are
in most demand, as a rule, occupy high
pedestal because of superior artistic mer-
it," said music lover. There are many
violinsts of genius and fine attachments
on the concert stage today, but Y saye
towers above all the rest just as Pade-
rewski draws better than any of the other
pianists, because his playing is more en-
joyed by all classes than that of other
virtuosos.
''Paderewski has had the record up to
this time of making more money in his
profession than any other performer who
has ever lived, but when the season is
over Ysaye may stand first from box Of
flee point of view as we'll as ranking
first as violinist. l believe that Ysaye
will break all records SO far as gross re-
oeipts are concerned. Paderewski, by the
way, is being booked for the coming sea-
son. l understand that his Birmingham
date will be some time in February
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-03-24
FACTS ABOUT DERELICTS

James g. McCurdy, in the Wide World
Magazine.
CALvAGE is one of those overworked
words with half dozen meanings.
~ In a marine sense ii is indiscrimi-
nately applied to the act of saving ves-
sci from the perils of the sea, to the
claim entered, and to the final monetary
award. On land 1t is term which, by
common usage, has come to embrace the
recovery of goods, of whatever nature,
that have been placed in jeopardy.
One thing is certain-there are but few
words that awaken keener anticipation In
the minds of those who traffic upon the
deep than the magic term salvage" when
applied to the rescue of vessels floating
helpless or abandoned upon the waters
In sea parlance the term has much the
same significance as the word treasure
trove" has ashore.
There are but few mariners who put to
sea without the hope that they may some
day be fortunate enough to pick up val
liable craft in distress. and share in the
resulting salvage award.
Salvage is interesting from legal
standpoint, from the fact that it is prob
ably the only case in law where person
may become liable to a claim upon him
for services rendered to his property
without his consent, expressed or implied.
1t also takes priority over all other
claims. The amount is determined by The
admiralty court, and is dependent upon
the peril involved. the nature of the SER
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-03-24
A DECEITFUL WIFE

In the April womans Home Companion
appears a highly entertaining story writ
ten by nurse who relates some of her
experiences, living with the wife of new
ly rich man. Following is an extract
in which the nurse tells something about
her mistress:
''She played a game with herself-ano
the rest of the world-all the time. Best
of all, she liked to fool her husband.
Every morning she reused herself up
when he did, flung on lovely negligee
fuffed up her hair and sat in the baby
nursery, as if she could not leave the
baby to have breakfast with HIM. She
was a pretty blonde and made lovely
picture with the baby in her arms. MI
Joyce would tear himself away, rush
down to the nice breakfast Katie hao
waiting for him, and off to work, thinh-
ing that he had the most capable wire
in the world. And before he was around
the corner she was back in her bed. fast
asleep and we would hear nothing from
ner until Sne rang LOT 'ler picdhi"'7e 49, =
g o'clock.
"And that was the last time she noticeo
the baby till she played the pretty lttie
comedy of domesticity for her HUSBAND
the next morning.
I'm not saying she deceived her nus
band. She never did anything wrong or
dishonest She was just shrewd and IN
sincere, and l despised her as never
have despised any human being before OF
since l used to wish she'd lose her tenn
per and become hysterical just as the aV-
erage woman would, but she was TOO
clever to do either. They would prine
lines to her face and tire her. 1t was
ca ser to be cutting or suave, as the oc-
casion demanded. / recall one day wheh
Mr.. Joyce was going to P1ttspurg oh
business, and she went With MIN. l had
the baby downstairs at breakfast Time
for effect. And then just as they were
starting-for effect aiso-she called over
her shoulder: Katie, Nellie, l hope you
will have a pleasant holiday While we
are gone And all the time she kne"
she had left us for three days with haif
a head of cabbage, little piece of corned
beef, a few potatoes and some carrots TO
eat. We both dug down into our own
purses and bought bit of lamb ana
fruit for our Sunday dinners"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-03-24
An Elective House of Lords

The stupidity of the tories in Great
Britain is shown in their declarations
that they will when they get back to
power repeal all limintation on the
lords veto power, thus giving them an
absolute veto again of the budget and
ether money questions.
Mr.. Asquith and his colleagues
meet this declaration with determi-
nation to introduce at an early day a
bill to reform the house of lords by
taking away from it the last shred of
its hereditary character. The bill of
the government has not been pre-
sented, but it is known that it pro-
yides for an elective house of lords
of about 100 members. Whether the
100 are to be elected from the ranks
of the nobility or from the entire elec-
torate is not yet known.
To put an end to heredity altogether
the bill would not confine the re-
formed upper house to the nobility,
and the presumption is that a select
upper house will be elected on some
other basis.
This would complete the revolution
begun by. William and Mary and the
better opinion is that public sentiment
- Great Britain at present would
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-03-24
THE HAWTHORNE VERDICT
From the Engineering and Mining Joul

From the Engineering and Mining Jour-
nal.
TIME verdict In the Hawthorne case,
rendered last week, brings the gov
! eminent almost to the conclusion
of its campaign against fraudulent pro-
moters of mining and petroleum stocks,
bucketshop conductors. and get-rich-
quick gentry of all kinds, a campaign in
which the Journal has taken a prominent
dailies, especially the New York Sun,
which not only has always refused to
prostitute its advertising pages to the al
lurements of the fakirs, but also has
time and again exposed them in its edi-
torial columns. The Sun has shone the
more in this, inasmuch as many of its
daily contemporaries have been in way
side partners in the crime, sharing through
their counting rooms the plunder of Inc
ignorant public. The disappearance of
that kind of advertising, since its un-
healthfuness (both to offerer and ac-
cepter) became manifest, is noteworthy.
The government has now won all of Its
cases except the Wisner case, in which
the jury disagreed, receiving a scathing
rebulze from the judge. We understand
that the government will retry that case
with no fear respecting the result.
The Hawthorne case was spectacular
because of the prominence of three of the
four men at the bar They were not
men of uncertain antecedents, but were
men of distinguished New England an.
cestry; Josiah Quincy, the head Of an
historic family. himself twice mayor of
Boston and formerly assistant secretary
of state, at Washington; Julian Haw-
thorne, son of Americas great and dearly
beloved novelist, himself writer of dis
tinction; DR.. Morton, distinguished
physician and the son of the discoverer of
ether anesthesia. The suffering laat
these men now experience cannot fail to
excite pity, but their swindling of many
poor people who could Ill afford to lose
their money also produced suffering and
excites pity, and the law does not absoIve
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-03-24

To be completely dressed from shoes %
hat, the fashionable woman must wear
just eight articles of clothing and con-
sumo less than 10 minutes in putting them
on. This startling disclosure was made
by Nine. A. Ripley at the convention of
the Chicago Dressmakers' club 1t met the
enthusiastic approval of the members. The
fashioiable attire consists of: One one
piece bit of sheer lingerie, one corset ex-
tending almost to the knees, but not ap-
pearing above the waist line; one pair silk
stockings, one pair low shoes, one one
piece gown slashed and draped with two
hooks and single button, and a-soft
ohapeau and coat fastening with two
buttons.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-03-24

transgressors just because they bear hon.
ored names.
Hawthorne and Morton might have been
excused five years ago. Apparently they
fell into the hands of Albert Freeman,
notorious schemer. who, standing in the
background, pulled the wires for the NAL
odorous King Solomon and the United
Mining companies before he turned his
hand to the Hawthorne promotions A lit
erary man and a medical man, unversed
In the guiles of such plotter, might
be taken in just as were the admirals In
other enterprises of his, but after the
exposures by ourselves and by the Sun,
and after the letters they received from
many engineers, they could not be under
any honest Illusion. Poor Hawthorne was,
no doubt, a good deal of a puppet
throughout The evidence in the case was
presented with such fulness that all the
facts are known. Probably the jury rem
dered its verdict with reluctance, but il
its verdict had been anything else, or II
sentence had been suspended, public opin-
ion and the rights of the public would
have been outraged.
The result of the government campaign,
now so nearly drawing to conclusioH,-will
put the fear of the Lord into the fraudu-
lent promoters more than will any num-
Der of "blue sky laws, and will show
the artist who knows how to steer close
to the wind that he is no safer than the
simple crook who sells bars of gilded lead.
1t will be useless for them to run their
swindling schemes,-taking the chance that
1t Is always difficult legally to prove
knowledge and willfulness in fraud, and.
protect trials In the courts Oh the plea
that they thought they were offering good
mines at reasonable prices, but were, alas'
and disappointed and were very
sorry about It.. They know, and their
Ia awyers know, just as everybody of ex-
perience knows, that the real mining busi-
ness is not conducted in their way. II
the Hawthorne case had been referred to
a committee of experienced mining en-
gineers. the trial would have lasted just
about one day.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-03-24
Grcnt Educational Address

THAT was notable address which DR..
George II. Denny, president of the Uni
versity of Alabama. delivered Thursday
night before the Alabama Educational as
sociation at its annual convention held in.
Montgomery said a professional man.
1T appeared in full in fridays Age-Her
aid and all friends of education who failed
to read it at the time should look up that
issue and read every word of the address.
'Dr. Denny is a trenchant writer and
the address referred to was, l thought,
exceptionally forceful and constructive
Among other good things DIR. Denny said:
"a 1t is true that we have made remark
able educational progress in recent years.
There is no finer chapter in Alabama his
tory than this record of achievement. Yet
it is fact that any real appreciation of
what has been done will carry with 1t the
conviction that infinitely more still re-
mains to be done. Speaking for myself,
| do not regret that a kindly providence
has convicted us of our sins and eon-
fronted us with the spectre of our faults.
II have not mistaken the spirit and the
temper of the people of Alabama, they
will be found ready to meet the issue,
realizing that it is not question of seek
escaping disgrace.
There Is not single interest of this
great onwealth-whether material
or social or spiritual-that is not at stake.
Take, for example, the small farmer
struggling along with his 40 acres OF
land. What is his real need? Is his real
need more acres or more ideas? Is his
real need more physical strength or more
brain power? Several years ago a young
agricultural chemist started a campaign
of education among the farmers by issu-
ing bulletins. He found that many of the
farmers were actually unable to read,
while many others had no disposition to
read. What did he do? He resigned his
position and went out to lead crusade
for the education of the forgotten man
and the neglected child, and that was
the logical thing to do Thousands of
small farmers are literally dead in ignor-
ance and in poverty. A year or two ago
| saw horse that had, through breeding
and care and training, earned 100000.
That, my friends, is an amount greater
than the productive power of whole neg
lected communities in Alabama, albeit in
these very communities there is doubtless
L. NJ. Curry in whose mind Is hidden
the spark of genius that may some dag
be kndled into the kind of leadership
that is needed to illuminate the pathway
of the commonwealth
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-03-24
Per cent
compared
rotal .as.17s.o1O

The bumper crop of 1911-12 was
grown on 36,681 900 acres. The crop
Of last year was grown on 34,096,O00
acres. The acreage in Texas promises
to exceed all previous records.
The figures furnished for Alabama
are promising. On 3,916,0O0 acres, a
crop of 1,95S,00O bales should be
grown, but an average of half bale
TO the acre is not attainable in this
state as yet. When the corn boys and
farm demonstrators cover the state
such an average may become possible.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-03-24
A LONG BRIDGE

From the Philadelphia Pubic Ledger.
Specifications for suspension bridge to
be built over San Francisco bay between
San Francisco and Oakland, were re-
Gently presented 10 the San Francisco
His plans call for a bridge nine and one
half miles in length. including its ap-
proaches in the two cities. The bridge,
to be the longest and in every way most
massive in the world, would be supported
by 10 piers, placed 2230 feet apart, and
it would cross the bay at an elevation
of $50 feet above the water.
The proposal has been indorsed by
many important commercial bodies on
both sides of San Francisco bay, includ-
ing the San Francisco chamber of COM
merce. The United States Senate acted
favorably upon the measure, granting
permission to land at Goat Island, be-
tween San Francisco and Oakland, and
also upon the Preside. The estimated
cost of the structure. is s26.00O,0Oo two
thirds of which would be equally borne
by the cities of San Francisco and Oak
land. 1t would necessitate a general cleo
ton and subsequent bond issue by both
cities to carry through the project. which
would require seven years.
The bridge proper. supported by 10
steel cables. cut through the top of the
piers, would be three-deck structure.
11S feet in height and 1870 feet wide, and
capable of accommodating "a rail-
road tracks besides automobile ways
and footwalks. The cables would be 20
inches in diameter, with a tensile
strength of 5000 tons. The suspension
Of the bridge is planned so that. even
should it sway with heavy winds, its
decks would be kept parallel with the
earth's surface.
in the opinion of the engineer who
planned it, and likewise the most difficult
problem to be encountered in the con-
struction of any bridge across San Fran
cisco bay, lies in the establishment of
foundations upon which the piers would
rest. In the proposed bridge the piers
would rest upon steel caissons 800 feet
long. 225 feet wide and $50 feet in height;
these caissons, to be constructed in dry
docks, would be towed out to the points
at Which the piers are to rise. The cais-
sons would have q weight of $4,000 tons,
but buoyancy of 10000 tons. BY re-
leasing the air within the caissons they
would naturally sink to the bottom of the
bay and deep into the mud. The deepest
pier. it is estimated, would sink to a
depth of 116 feet below the top-of the
mud at the bottom of the bay.