davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times., 1913-07-25
A Plea From Mt Pleasant.

To the Editor Uf THE TINES:
Some two or three years since The
Times undertook a crusade to compel
the Washington Railway Company to
supply Its patrons with more comfort
able and convenient cars. especially on
the Mt. Pleasant line. from which the
open cars had been entirely removed.
The efforts of The Times were produc-
tive of good results; results, however,
which rave been only temporary.
While riding from Park road to F
street the writer, luxuriously standing
on the rear platform of one of the fat
wheeled boxes with which that line is
afflicted. counted twelve Mt. Pleasant
cars going In the opposite direction,
only one of which was an open car.
On the same occasion, four open cars
en- route to Georgetown Were met in the
short distance between Dupont Circle
and F street. This would appear to be
an unjust division of. favors.
In the prosecution of its crusade The
Times availed itself of the use OF the
form of poetry colloquially described as
the Limerick" 1t is hoped by at
least one sufferer who Is compelled to
use the Mt. Pleasant line that The
Times may be in position to bring to
bear On the responsible officials some
pressure that will compel them to per-
form their duties in the premises.
TOM SAWYER.
The Washington times., 1913-07-25
BLUSTER VERSUS BUSINESS.

The House District Committee does not make an
heroic appearance, bullyraggins and browbeatng AS
SCISSOR Richards If the Committee wants to learn
something about the assessment of property in the
District; if is seeking information to be used as
basis for some sort of constructive program, then
it is going about its work in the wrong way. If, on
the other hand it is trying extort from the assessor
the admission that he is crook, it will fall because
he isn't one.
For instance Judge Prouy has been persistent in
pressing questions about why property was valued at
the lowest figures that could possibly be defended
under the law. If the assessor will look up the
laws and regulations under which property
is assessed in Judge Proutys home town of
Des Moines-where the judge sat on the
bench for many years-he will learn that under a
law recurring fulvalue assessment the valuation got
so slack that the town finally hired lot of outside
experts to reassess its business district scientifically
lust to show how the thing ought to be done. That
piece of work has just recently been finished. Judge
Prouty by the way, could contribute very much
worthwhile illumination to this whole discussion of
values and assessments, if he would lay before the
District Committee transcript and explanation of
that very Des Moines proceeding
lust one specific piece Of actual information like
that would be worth vastly more than week of
bullving an honest assessor for not doing the i'm
possible.
In 1883 there was law requiring assessments
here to be at full value. Anybody could tell what
that meant But in 1902 another act was passed, re-
curing that assessments should mot be below two
thirds of actual value" The former law was not
repealed Can anybody on earth tell what that COM
bination meant? The assessor couldn't and got legal
advice. For ten years property was assessed, so
nearly as possible around two-thirds and nobody in
or out of Congress, made any particular trouble
about it. The custom is about the same that pre-
walls in most American cities Bad, lax, unreliable
undesirable inaccurateyes IT is all that; but the
law is the law that Congress made, and if Congress
men can't find out what it means, how do they ex-
pect the assessor to do better?
More business and less bullyragging would help.
There is room for great accomplishment in taxation
reform, but it is not going to be furthered much by
the assumption that everybody connected with the
administration is either a crook or an incompetent
The Washington times., 1913-07-25
THE BULGARS' BAD BREAK

1t seems that right in the midst of their troubles
with Greece and Servia, the Bugarians captured no
less distinguished parsonage than Gen. Nelson A.
Miles, who travelling in their part of the world.
He was held under surveillance until the American
consul had convinced the Sofa government that he
wouldn't hurt it.
The BuIgars might have done better. If they
had pressed the old fighter into service, and given
him chance to show what he knew about war under
modern conditions, its dollars TO the holes in the
doughnuts that he'd have saved Bulgaria lot Of
the humiliation if has suffered these last few weeks
The Washington times., 1913-07-25
HOW GOOD ROADS PAY.

The Department of Agriculture has been getting
together some telling data on the good road subject
Where communities build good roads in place Of
bad ones, the increased value and productveness of
the lands Immediately than pays for the in
vestment. Here are some cases:
In Lee county. Va farmer owned 100 acres between
Ben Hur and Jonesville, which he offered to sell for
$1S00 In 1908 this road was improved and, although
the farmer fought the improvement has since re-
fused 900 for his farm Along this same road tract
of 1Ss supposed to have sold for $4,000
The purchaser refused the contract however and the
threatened him. After the road improye-
ment, and without improvement upon the land the
farm sod TO the original purchaser for
In Jackson county, Ala the people voted bond issue
of $250000 for road improvement improved "a per
of the roads The of 1900 gives the value of
all lands in Jackson county per acre The
selling value at that time from Sc SIS per acre
The of 1910 places the value all farm lands
IN Jackson county at 1919 per acre, and the selling
price SIS to S25 per Actual figures of
increased value following road Improvements are shown
Commenting these and many other cases, the
department that roads add to land values in
proportion as they make farms more productive by
reason of easier access. In this regard of course,
the department is in error Good roads make it
easier to live in the country; easier to farm; easier
The Washington times., 1913-07-25
Learn One Thing
Every D. ay
2s.-LIQBID AIR.

{" HE zero that we find on our Cen
tigrade and Fahrenheit ther-
mometers is zero only for general
purposes. In objects that are
zero cold. however, scientists have dis
covered heat. Not heat that is. or ever
would be, apparent to u.s. But. by
scientific tests, heat has been discoy-
cred in zero temperature.
The real zero" where temperature
really begins is 27s debrees below the
zero shown on the Centigrade Their
mometer. Scientifically. it Is called the
absolute zero" II has never yet been
reached But. In experiments. men
have come within two or three degrees
of II.
Liquid air is simply quantities of air.
SO wonderfully condensed and cooled
that II turns first into a liquid, and
then. IL more cold is applied, freezes
solid, like a cake OF ice Liquid air Is
very cold, so cold that objects placed
In 1t freeze almost instantly and become
brittle as glass.
1t Is used largely In laboratory work
for making other things cold, for ex-
perimental purposes. Also, recently,
there has been device made that can
be used by a rescuer going down into
explosion. In this device the rescuer
carries liquid air, and. as II evaporates.
atom by atom, 1t makes pure air for
him to breathe. And since II takes such
an enormous quantity Of air to make
such a very little bit Of liquid air, you
can see what a large supply he can
carry for breathing purposes.
The Washington times., 1913-07-25
WEDDING PRESENTS BY SUBSCRIPTION.

Doubtless the President is right, in asking Balti-
more admirers that the proposal to provide wedding
present for Miss Wilson by popular subscription be
dropped That particular method is about the simplest
and most straightforward for demonstration of
zeal public good will and wishes; but between the
people who subscribe in such cases with lingering
hope of benefting themselves, and those who sub
scribe with feeling that they are being held up the
sentiment is pretty well squeezed out
The position of the Presidential family is not an
easy one at best, in such matters. President must
be plain American citizen among his fellow-Ameri-
cans; the other hand, as the sovereign head Of a
great nation he is suddenly forced into compliance
with good deal of the etiquette that rules crowned
heads and hereditary aristocracies If he steers a
comfortable route between the two he is getting
along very well indeed.
The Washington times., 1913-07-25
JOSEPHUS IS RIGHT, BUT

Secretary Daniels declares strongly that voters
should have If made easy for them to vote He would
encourage them to use the ballot regularly. Those
away from home would be permitted to vote by mail
The Secretary is right, but he doesn't 90 far
enough.
Making it easy for people to vote will not do Inc
business. Making it expensive for them to fail in
voting is the thing that is necessary.
Just FIX up poll-tax law for every State, under
which the voter will be assessed $40 for the school
fund each year; the amount to be remed if he votes
at all elections note how the total poll will
jump!
Voting is not a privilege of the citizen, favor
that the Government extends. 1t is a duty, and a
mighty serious one. We need to get the notion
that to vote is privilege. We need to be educated
into the belief that not to vote is mighty close to
crime
The Washington times., 1913-07-25
GOOD START: GO AHEAD.

The new Public Utilities Commission declined to
reopen the question of authorizing the Washington
Utilities Company to put out a S10,000,OOO bond
issue to aid its plans of consolidating various local
properties. The old commission decided against au-
thorization of the ISSUE and the new one will make
no change
Doubtless the corporation will now carry the case
into the courts and possible there will be
decision on this phase of the law.
Meanwhile there numerous other things that
the new Utilities Commission might be starting 1t
can't do much of anything without first going to court
about it, therefore, the more reason why things
should be started promptly.
An order reducing the price of gas to 65 cents
would be one excellent place to start in.
Then another order reducing by about 35 per cent
the present rates on electric current
Those things will have to be fought out in the
courts anyhow the question of whether prescribed
rates are remunerative. There isn't any good reason
to delay getting the thing started toward the courts
The Washington times., 1913-07-25
Here's a Book

THE Efficient Age" by herDe.J
Kaufman, published by the George H.
Doran Company, OF New York.
Herbert Kaufman is nothing. II not
modern. He is right up to date every
minute Of the time with his philosophy.
and even IL it Is the brand OF so-called
canned wisdom which is in great
vogue now, it is snappy, forceful. and
as stimulating as cold salt bath.
THE Efficient Age" evidently accepts
the Darwinian theory OF the survival OF
the fittest, bIt its burden to both the
weak and the strong is to be fttest.
Commonsense. hard work. cheerful
ness, and the acceptance Of the fact that
life is, after all, a continuous competi-
ton, are the burden OF some OF the
authors remarks.
From its very modernity, however, it
could not be said that this book would
enroll itself forever in the ranks OF
literature, but 1t Is a stiff boost In .
crying need. and deserves all OF the
credit in the world.
The Washington times., 1913-07-25
To Avoid Accidents.

To the Editor OF THE TIMES:
take the liberty of calling your at
tention to the many diving accidents
occurring at Colonial Beach.
Mr.. Porter, my fellow craftsman,
while at this resort, dove from a spring.
board, striking bottom. severely bruis-
ing his face and injuring his neck and
hack. His friend, from the navy yard.
followed closely after him, breaking
his neck, from which he died soon af-
terward.
was at Colonial Beach two weeks
ago and while in swimming noticed
the conspicuous springboard, and.
naturally thinking that conditions were
sotisfactory, otherwise the board would
moi be placed there, made a running
i,Imn and dive If it wasn't for the
Soct that l had my arms poised we'll
heyond me and that / am rather light
weight, / would have broken my neck;
as it was have suffered intensely
since with the shock to my head. neck,
anu nave read in your paper Of the same
accident occurring to Edward Elwood.
"Sith the result that he is in a serious
condition at the hospital.
MANY with whom l conversed about
.bfs springboard. said 1t should be
either built out farther from the shore.
o,' account Of the verv shallow water
az low tide or removed altogether.
Hare are four accidents to my knowI-
odae which could have been avoided
~ a proper location was selected for
his springboard, and presume there
are many who have hurt themselves
|bere but who have merely mentioned
A. 10 their friends.
simple sign. Beware of shallow
-,ater when diving" or extending this
wiring board to deeper water would pre-
sasnt S these daily occurrences while div
,nx. HARRY w. PARKER,
The Washington times., 1913-07-25
HAWAIPS NEW GOVERNOR.

The President has nominated man of tact
ability, and experience to be governor of Hawaii
Mr.. L. E. Pinkham, whose name is now before the
Senate has a complete knowledge of the racial and
economic and commercial problems which are to be
solved for the Island Territory.
Pinkham, originally from New England, has
spent many years in Hawaii and the Philippines
During these years he has performed splendid
service for the Government in various capacities, and
he is especially equipped in patriotism and courage
to discharge the duties of the executive.
The chairman of the Democratic committee Of
Hawaii cabed: The appointment of Pinkham gives
Hawaii patriotic American governor-not a fac
tionalist"
The Washington times., 1913-07-25
improving Opportunity.

"IEY were talking about improv-
ing an opportunity the other
afternoon, when Mr.. Lane. Sec
retary of the Interior, contrib
uted to the conversation, relates the
Pittsburgh Chronicle Telegraph.
Makes me think" he smilingly said,
"of youngster who lives in our town.
One afternoon he was invited to a party
where. of course. refreshments were
bountifully served.
Won't you have something more,
Willie?" asked the pretty hostess to-
ward the close of the feast.
:" No. thank you,' replied Willie with an
expression OF great satisfaction. I'm
full
Well. then smiled the hostess put
some fruit and cake in your pocket to
eat on the way home
No, thank you.' came the rather
startling response OF Willie, 'they'r
full. too
The Washington times., 1913-07-25
MAIL BAG
From The Times Readers
Let Us Fight,

To the Editor OF THE TIMES:
1 notice in your paper that the Penn
sylvania Railroad Company is about
to stop the free freight store delivery
pn goods shipped from New York,
Philadelphia, and New England points
to Baltimore and Washington. The
Pennsylvania railroad can well afford
to have the free delivery service when
II Is remembered that the system con-
trolls more miles of trackage than any
one railroad in the country with the
possible exception Of the New York
Central
By a recent decision of the Inter-
state Commission it was decreed that
the railroad should not discriminate
in favor of Baltimore. In other words,
1t should not stop the delivery in
Washington without stopping it in
Baltimore. The only way In which we
can hope to retain the free delivery is
for the retail merchants of this city
to cooperate with the Merchants and
Manufacturer Association of Balti-
more; which I understand President
r. P. Andrews intends to do. Let the
merchants be up and doing.
NJ. McARTHUR.
The Washington times., 1913-07-25

to have neighbors; easier to use church and school,
In Short good roads contribute to land values very
much more on the social than on the merely indus
trial side. That's the side that needs development
The industrial side of country life takes care Of
itself very well nowadays; if its social side would
keep pace there would be little occasion to worry
about the rural life problem. Roads are worth vastly
more for their contribution on the social than on the
industrial side.
The Washington times., 1913-07-25
THIS& THAT
IN WHICH, MIRABILE DIcTU, WE
GET AN IDEA FROM CONGRESS
Win .so,ssf,ses q L.ttst srtAe othe,

IN WHICH, MIRABILE DIcTU, WE
GET AN IDEA FROM CONGRESS.
The House, for the present consentino
to part
With some of its tedious bluster,
The House, repeat, has proceeded to
start
A fHbVster.
And !, toho regard as nv tenderest
dream
A life of indctioH and shirkin1,
think 1t Is all magnificent scheme
To keep from .Oorking.
II so, the erpedient cleverly fits
Most cases-d. broad panacea;
In fact, hare nearly concluded that us
A good idea.
For Hstl tohen Pm short legitimate
toheese,
And columnin1 loses its lustre,
Why shouldn't dash of some verses
like these,
And fEbusterf
The Washington times., 1913-07-25
And fEbuSterf

In the clear, bright light Of the day
after, we've concluded that the reason
truck drivers leave part OF their wagons
protruding over car tracks is that they
are truck drivers. There amt no good
shipping clerks. Mawruss." Abe Potash
once remarked, or words to that effect.
If they really was good. yunderstand
me. then they wouldn't be shipping
clerks"
The Washington times., 1913-07-25
We're Inclined To Give II Up.

G. S. K: A gentleman of my acquaint-
ance has an intricate solitaire game
that he says he has been working on
for two years and never has got out.
asked him what would happen II he
DID get II out, and he refused to an
swer Was he perturbed. dye think2
#
The Washington times., 1913-07-25
A Mysterious Symbol
GOOD STORIES

cred with mud. came slowly walking
down the road.
Hi. dere, nigger!" yelled a bystand-
er, where's you been de las TO- days?'
To which Sam courIly responded:
"Ah's been comm back.
Magazine.
The Washington times., 1913-07-25

A careful coming OF the Constitution
brings out that it contains no provis-
ion for docking Congressmen's salaries
during filibusters. This is one explana-
ton Of filibusters.
The Washington times., 1913-07-25
Bright, Though Afflicted.

E stopped before a blind ped
IL dler and bought pencil,
putting five pennies into the
mans hand.
How do you know these are cents
I've given you?" asked the purchaser.
well, sir, I can distinguish the
touch of cents by my sense of touch, "
was the blind mans prompt reply
Boston Transcript.
The Washington times., 1913-07-25

"Also.' writes G. H. G., Mr.. B. w.
Livers works for the Armour Packing
Co., Kansas City-if it will do you any
good to know" Not bit in the world,
old top.
The Washington times., 1913-07-25

Seldom, however. does a player go
down hill so rapidly as young Brady, of
Oshkosh. Star pitcher in the Wiscon-
sin-Illinois League. he has been bought
by the New York Yankees.
The Washington times., 1913-07-25

For the self-Depreciation Club: Man
ager Griffith. Credentials: when
Boehling came to me he was worthless
Most managers would have sent him
back for more seasoning. but I saw he
had the makings of a wonderful twirI-
err"
The Washington times., 1913-07-25

Zero in entertainment, to our acetic
notion is journeying to a railway sta
ton to meet an incoming ball team
The Washington times., 1913-07-25
On the Way Back.

a CERTAIN haunted house down
N Georgia was held in terror
by all the negroes in the
vicinity except Sam, who
bravely declared that for s. he would
sleep there all night. A purse was
raised and Sam was told to carry oat
his end of the bargain and call in the
morning for the money. Whfen morning
came no trace could be found of Sam.
the house contained nothing but evil
dence of a hurried departure. 4 search
party was organized, but without re-
suit.
Finally. four days. later. Sam. COW
The Washington times., 1913-07-25

Among things unaffected by the tariff
on lemons (cf. Senator Works speech)
are porch furniture and drug store lem
onade. They contain equal amounts O:
lemon juice.
The Washington times., 1913-07-25

Why cOlumnists think it's an awful
world: Endeavoring to columnize while
the noise contraptions to be used at
today's game are being tested two feet
away.
The Washington times., 1913-07-25

Why our typewriter always brings US
to the end Of line when we have just
one more letter to get in.
The Washington times., 1913-07-25

Limos afterthought of the Most Ma
ligned Thing: Taxicab drivers.
The Washington times., 1913-07-25
How Would Strychnine Be?

G. S. X: Friend of mine-dandy fell
low, nall that; BUT-carries colored
handkerchiefs. What do you advise?
c. T.
The Washington times., 1913-07-25

And our concep Of a sophisticated
magazine reader. following the same
lines, is one who picks his story by rum
ming an eye down the list Of authors
names.
The Washington times., 1913-07-25
The Stories Of
nous Novels
fSy Albert Payson Terhrne
THE SCARLET LETTER, by Nathaniel Hawthorne.

No. 5l-THE SCARLET LETTER, by Nathaniel Hawthorne
festival which would
Il
a
Today
fellow IN hide
in
jail the scanod baut
a in
platform
uDoB Then S @ AhS % 1 the DS d s @ n s 5
@ On the hest s 's ss the man should rights stand at her
A Woman
life
Stunned forced Scarlet
Puritan mind w., - - .
The % Hester Rnns She had the Nsw EnEDS
dale had met to Amy fallen love with With each & %
@ tx @ It l Dsd
ali That
o asS d 6 % ea se s sn a % s the gs
% @ % H 5 % s % has safaeG 1 sas s gs @
o work to destroy Arthur by Eackng the er sensitive
could doing 0dd 5 Jobs hs bringing a
ten wSos Sreas % bor @ E5em ses t Letter. 5 % em % 5 cnS @ @
Invisible % %htehot Branding agony
there might & dsns a % osfs sfsP % % S ss fa %d @ % %
had gnawng tooth
live and love and forget the ugly p But ever %
he m saw % on W the tie % Oft heche ~ anu ~ "" " ~
Mysterious Symbol
nsan at the sufferers too GaSy from further eng
hands open
nS ended & Ts hs or some 'o'A ho'00 F'"
The Washington times., 1913-07-25
POME OF THE OFFICE COOLER.

water, water, everywhere"
Is very, very nice;
But what does it avail one
When there isn't any iceg
The Washington times., 1913-07-25
QUITE SOME FIGURING
From the Herald ~

OF the sixteen games won on this trim
johnson and Boehling have won two-thirdy
OF them, Walter being credited with Sven
victories and Boehling five.
The Washington times., 1913-07-25

S. Us idea Of an experienced traveller
he advises. is one who reads the pas
senger list as soon as he gets aboa I'd
ship.
The Washington times., 1913-07-25
Newspaper Tales We Have Met.

The story of the man who carved his
initials on turtle thirty-four years ago
and recently caught the identical beast.
The Washington times., 1913-07-25
MANY THANKS FOR THE AID, SIR,

MANY THANKS FOR THE AID. SIR.
From The Price of Place" in the Sat
urday Evening Post.'O
- and go after It fntelligently, on the
basis of you help me to THIS AND I'll help
you to THAT. 'a''s~ .~
The Washington times., 1913-07-25
THE BALLPLAYER.

The baIIpIayer's life, taken Jorepays and
aft,
Is one muchIy checkered and notified.
He may, for example, be taken on draft.
And shortly thereafter be bottled.
The Washington times., 1913-07-25

Add Verbal Aversions: Girl wife,
.----..- .-. q. g. K.
The Washington times., 1913-07-25
What's on the Program, in
Washington Today

Meeting Of Washington Chapter.
knights of Columbus night.
Meetings, evening:
Masonic-St. Johns Lodge, No. II, and
Hope, No. 20; Eureka Chapter. No. 4.
Royal Arch; Friendship Chapter, No.
II, Order of the Eastern Star.
Red Men-Seneca Tribe, No. II, 316
Pennsylvania avenue southeast; Nine
ola Tribe. No. IA. Anacostia; Idaho
Council, No. 1, Northeast Temple.
knights of Pythias-Syracusians, No.
10; Rathbone Temple, No. s. Pythian
Odd Feilows-Central Lodge, No. 1;
Metropolis, No. 16. and Phoenix, No.
Is; Dorcas Lodge, No 4; Rebekah
Lodge.
Amusements.
CoIumbia-"A Contented Woman" s:B
Doll ii rsEsMadame Sherry" 2:l5 and sis
c}cn Echo-An amusements.
Sbavy Chase Lake-Concert by Marina
wand. dancing. and other amuseruents
crsat Falis-Music ana other amuse-
Ina Parl-Dancing and other amuso-
,arshau HaIl-Boats leave Seventh
Street wharf 10 a. m. ESQ D. m. and
piver View Park-Boats leave Seventh
street wharf 10 a. m. and I D. m.
colonial Beach-Steamer 81 Johns
leaves Seventh street wharf every daY
except Monday AZ a. N. Saturday.
40 D. N.
The Washington times., 1913-07-25

THINGS WE WANT TO KNOW.
XII
The Washington times., 1913-07-25

n HE zero that we find on our Cen
tigrade and Fahrenheit ther-
mometers is zero only for general