davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-09-20

H5,000,O00 in gold, and when completed they will give space for safe anchorage equal to about 200 acres. This will fur nish protection to the annual entry of almost 2000 vessels, with total ,f 7000, 900 tons, which is the amount of traffic ex- pected now the canal is completed. The work includes breakwater of 1000 feet will have coal wharves, custom houses and warehouses and all Of the modern ar engagements for loading and unloading goods from the cars to the steamers and sfrom steomers to cars.
 But before I go further in my letters from Chile I want to give you a bird S. eye view of this country. For the past month l have been travelling through the northern part of it. I have visited port after port, and now, here at Valparaiso, l am a little more than half way down the coast. Chile is the longest country on earth in proportion to it's width. IL begins at Cape Horn and stretches its way northward like a snake along the western slopes of the Andes for a distance of 2700 miles. 1t is three times as long as Egypt, which runs for 300 miles through the desert. Let us suppose that the Chil- can snake Is rattler and that the Islands of Tierra del F'uego at the south
 
 be the rocks of Cape Horn, and the fiery fangs of the rattlesnake's head would be the River Sama, where Chile ends at the Peruvian boundary. This Chilean snake is so long that if you should lay it on the United States from east to west with the button at Boston it's tongue might lick the great Norman tabernacle in Salt Lake City without stretching its body, or if you should start it crawling eastward, beginning at Cleveland, it might go on to New York, and thence bending southward move on to Panama before it's rattles had left the forest city on the great lakes.
 The area of Chile is also worth notice The country is on the average from 10t to 150 miles wide, and it has all tolo almost 200,eo0 square miles. That means that 1t is twice as big as California fivt times as large as Georgia and more thar seven times the size of Ohio Kentucky ol Virginia. Chile would make four Mime. sotas or six Pennsylvanias and haze room to spare; and if Texas and Maryland were sliced into bits and put together they would just about fill it. It is almost 100, 900 square miles bigger than Germany France and over three times the size ol that little island of England and Scot land
 This long drawn out country. running as it does southward from the equator
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-09-20

Copyrighted. 1914. by Frank G. Carpenter.
 Namaraiso Chile.
 7ALPARAIS0 has plans out for
 improving is habor: and now I that the Panama canal is com E&sSssl pleted il will be able to take 1a-c oI all the increased traffic that comes here from the opening of that great waterway As 1t is now, it is one ef the chief ports Of the world. II is une NsN York of the west coast of South America, and it does mere business on the western Pacific than any other town except San Francisco. It is nearer the lsthmus of Panama than our great port Of California. and in the new direction of trade through the war In Europe, it will be almost as full of American vessels.
 You all know of Valparaiso. but I doubt fl many of you realize just where il is. It is about as far south of our great canal as Boston is distant from Salt Lake City, and to equal its length you would have to add TO miles to the distance between Boston and Panama. It is right in the central part of the coast of this long republic of Chile, and l should say at a guess about 1900 or l400 miles from the Straits of Magellan. Valparaiso is the port nearest the capital of the republic, and also the chief com mercial gateway to the great central valley which forms the chief agricultural region of the country. Chile has d for eign commerce of more than $25O.00O O00 per year. of which more 4han one-half Is made mp of imports, which until now have lur md e and Germany. The bulk of this goes through Valparaiso. The town has 200- voO Inhabitants, and it Is growing fast. Ii has gained enormously since the earth quake of 1906 and, notwithstanding it's losses of similar kind in the past, it's people 20 on building IS though there would be no earthquakes ln the future
 Valparaiso has had many, experiences in the field of hard luck IL was founded only 51 years after Columbus discovered America, and it had many adventures with pirates before the earthquake of 1l30 destroyed the place and it's fortitica- lions. It was soon rebuilt and another earthquake came in 1922. Two decades after that it had a fire that burned up million dollars worth of its property and little later it had enother fire at cost of $5000.000. Then II as bombarded by the Spaniards, who destroyed it's prop erty to the value of S10.G10.000, and on top of the whole came the earthquake of eight years ago, which is said to nave cost A20,000,o00. At that time it is estimated that 3000 persons were killed and that at least GOO were rendered homeless. The whole of the city along the edge of the sea was laid low, and nevertheless it is that part of the town that is now covered with the best business blocks. Wide avenues have been laid out through it. and the city is larger and more hand some than ever. As 1t Is a great part of Valparaiso has been reclaimed from the sea of filling in earth and rock from the highlands. This was before the earthquake occurred, and it is made more
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-09-20

K. of K. doesn't believe in the ranker oiilcer,' he said, and that isn't from any siobblshness or class feeling. Ha believes and l agree witt. him that serv- ice in the ranks is craniping Take d dukes son of sueprior intelligence and put him in the ranks for six months and a laborer's son of ordinary intelligence and make him an officer at the start Then promote the dukes son from the ranks and I'll go bail that the laborer 5 son makes a better officer because he has never been in the ranks
 The ranker officer can rarely get on with his men. He knows too much about them and they know It and hate hiIi for it. He is too liable to punish fof petty infractions of discipline which the gentleman officer would overlook or possi- bly would never see.''
 l am told that Kitcheners plan is to provide the senior officers from tEs younger men who distinguish themselves with the regular forces in the earlier stages of the war. These men will b. selected for their proved ability to com nand fairly large bodies of troops. The junior officers, Or company leaders, will be carefully ricked from the new ma terial offered by the public schools anu universities and from civil life and these men will be closely watched for signs oi fitness for higher command. Kitchener is no believer in the theory that every officer must be strategist He believes shat strateSlsts are needed only for the higher commands and that nothing ii fnore fatal to an army tnat too many clever officers. What hn wants for the
 .r. I..,1l ..f I.t tains are young men who can lead other men and inspire enthusiasm. and if they can do that and at the same time obey crders he prefers them to double the lumber of budding Marlboroughs.
 ltls noncommissioned officers are be Ing picked in much the same way. The Instructors have orders to watch their men closely and at the end of the first weeks drill in every company a num- Ter of the more intelligent of the men are selected for corpora1s and sergeants ard given temporary rank. Instead Of making things easier for them, this promotion makes their work harder Tor in addition to the regular drills which all the other men have to do they are required to attend classes where they instructed in their du- ties as 'noncoms" and at the end of fortnight they will be required to pass an examination somewhat less stiff than that usually required from candidates for promotion. If they pass this ordeal they will be confirmed in the rank. but they will have to con- tnuc their extra studies and at the same time they will be taken under the special charge of the old mon cons who are acting as instructors Kitchener is confident that couple of months of this training will give him a- set of ''noncons" equal to any in the world.
 This may seem large order in view of the fact that it is generally sup posed that six months are required tt make private soldier and at least { rear to make a noncommissioned of
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-09-20

)NDON, August 31.-(Special
 Correspondence )-In Lord Kit chener England has a war min
 ister who typifies the national
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-09-20

cars pay big dividends. The line here and that at Santiago, over the noun tains about three or four hours off by train, belong to a German company, which has monopoly of the transit. They operate the Santiago cars by hydro-electric power, and that So cheaply that their profits from that line alone are about S300,000 a month. The Valparaiso line is said to clear about $1,000,000 a year.
 But there is one attractive feature about the car line that I failed to men ton. This is the conductors. They are women and very few of them are pretty young girls. although the great majority will I venture never see 30 or 40 again. The woman conduc- tors were brought into the cars more than a generation ago. It was at the time of the war with Peru, when all of the men, including the street car con- ductors, were sent north to engage In the fighting. At that time the women took the mems places and they have held them to this day. I am told that they make very good servants, and that, although they have to be watched as to turning In all the fares, they are more honest than men would be in the same places As it is, the company keeps a check upon it's conductors by making them give eacn passenger ticket which is collected later on by an inspector, who goes through the car for the purpose. The companies have also detectives whom the girls nick name Jonases, to watch and see that all pay their fare and that no fares are knocked down.
 These conductrosses wear black sailor hats and dark dresses. They have on white aprons, in the pockets of which they carry their money and tickets, and strapped round their waists are little boxes for the checks they give the pas sengers. They make reports at little kiosk in one part of the city at the end of each trip Another good feature of the car lines is the use of black mum bers. which indicate their routes. This is in accordance with custom that pre- vails all over Germany, and it Is far better than our way of marking only the names of the routes on the cars.
 Where I ended my ride l was near one of the cog railroads that lead to the up per part of the city. When l entered the station I had another surprise. It was a woman who opened the turnstile and gave me my fare. and she did her job quite as well as a man. She look my money and then shut me inside cage like that of an elevator. She next rang a
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-09-20

EiSsssi.J chener England has a war min kass9sSsJ ister who typities the national character in his grim determination. Kitchener is too good a soldier to un- derestimate the task which lay before the allies in beating Germany, so he set at once to plan for long war It is understood that he hoped it would not last six months. but he has made all his plans to fight for years if nec- essary. The first of these plans is to provide a constant succession of armies which will take the field at regular in- tcrvals. besides supplying the vast age of war in those which have pre- ceded them, until England has in arms 100000 men, most of them fresh, to oppose the battle worn and wearied Germans. He has also called in the services of the splendid native army of India which he made himself and of which he is immensely proud. h. Clan troops are now either actually in France or will be in a few days and Kitchener expects them to give a good account of themselves. Englishmen who know them say the Germans will crum- pie up before the fierce knife and bay
 
 These troops are drawn from the parts of India directly under Indian control and in addition to them every native prince under British protection has offered his troops. and money to pay for them as well. The Maharajah of Mysore offered his entire army and Si,666,666. Another great Indian prince telegraphed to Kitchener direct, What orders from his majesty for me and my troops?" Without a single ex- ception the native princes have placed themselves, their men and their money at the empires disposal. In addition to this, Canada. Australia and all the other self-governing dominions are sending men,
 Now. let us consider what forces Kitchener has to draw on for the great struggle. The regular army, most of N hich is now in the field. consists when fully mobilized with reserves. of about 300.o00 men. Behind that stands the territorial army created by Lord Hal dane when he was minister of Wal, amounting to about 300 1000 more. By the terms of enlistment, however, the tcrritorials cannot be compelled to serve outside of Great Britain. It is hardly necessary. to say that most of them have already volunteered for for eYgn service The Indian army, both white and native, at war strength is about 300,0o0 more. but obviously 1t cannot all be withdrawn from India or If it is 1t must be in part replaced by other British troops. As mattev of fact I understand 1t is proposed to bring over every available Indian sol cier and send some of the territorial regiments to garrison India, One req son for this is the political effect. Kitchener has the mind of states man as we'll as that of soldier and he realizes that nothing will consol- idate the loyalty of India to the em- pire forever like allowing her troops
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-09-20

Elves 1t all sorts of climate and many re- sources. In the northern part. where I nave been travelling, it does not rain from one end of the year to the other. At sa1 asao which lies in the great central valley, only short distance east Of Val pafaise there is rain on sl days every i- months, while at ValdNia, in tne south Sih paft oI thds valley. it rains IF days tNefy wear. A little further south the raihian Is greater. There are localities where the people facetiously say that it fdins l5 months every year.
 This being the case. the nortbern mart oi the land is q desert The central part is u rich farming country with orchards s anu Viheyafds and great hacfendas many oi "ilich are watered by irrigation. and the southern part has lands that grow ''ss, "t'eat ana srain. the fields being fed by the plentiful rainfall
 The latter region has also e,or,n,, afeas et forest IL will surprise vaa ro know that one-foarth of all cbIis i wooded and that just nov fhe,. arc ,,,t ting down the woods and burning men, ne " ioohshly did in tho past to make arms Altogether the wooded are, ,,s Chile is as large as the combined states of Ohio and Indiana. It is more than '7.o0o square miles.
 Before I leave this general descrip- tion 1 want to tell you about the lands and industries of the Strait of Magel- Ian and the archipelago of Tierra dol Fuego They are part of the from tier of this shoestr1ng republic and as one looks at them on the map lie might imagine them to be somewhat like the country that the late Captain Scott found about the south pole. On the contrary. they have climate about as mild as that of Sitka, Alaska. which las been compared to that of Cincin- n a nt- a h ait,r tav, off z that region feed out of doors all the year round and hundreds of millions of pounds of wool are exported from the strait each year. During my last visit to Chilli this sheep industry was at It's beginning. It has since grown beyond all-that was prophesied then and there are new single companies which owa more than 100000 sheep.
 That part of Chile Is made up of the submerged range of the Andes, some of which are covered with glaciers. The country has a light fall of snow in the winter, but 1t seldom lies long and the sheep burrow down through the snow for the grass.
 In striking contrast with that regi n is northern Chile, from which l have come. That part of the republic would have an almost tropical heat were l.. not that it is tempered by the cold Hum- boldt current, to such an extent that white men can live anywhere near tie coast. There are thriving towns, ports at the end of each little valley. which has water from the snows of the An des and there are cities at the places from where the nitrate and minerals arc shipped to the United States and Europe.
 Northern Chile is mostly a desert, but it compares favorably in it's re- ft1, To f.,-f- nf the earth. I have already written of tie pitrates. This region supplies most of the nitrate of soda used by farmers all over the world From that source
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-09-20
BY JOHN SCOTT

junior officers for the regular units. and to supply the wastage. os war, so that the officers of the new army have to be made as it goes along. For this pur- pose Kitchener has appealed to all the great public schools, which have officers training corps in connection with them, to give him their boys and the univer- sties have also been appealed to in the same way He Is also offering commits sions to men in civil life of good educa- tion and fair social position who are able to satisfy a rough and ready educational and physical test.
 It is interesting in this connection to quote retired officer who has for t number of years been on Kitchener's staff and who knows the war minister's mind thoroughly
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-09-20

alone the Chilean government has al ready received hundreds of millions of dollars. and l am told that 1t has 50 much fertilizer left that t will con tinue to receive tens of millions moTm every year for three generations H come. The country also is rich in cop per and il is the great outlet to tie vast treasures of the Bolivian Andes. Thex are discovering new copper mines and iron mines and they have already unearthed enormous deposits of both Of these minerals. Among the best If the copper properties are those of tPs GuggenhciIns near Antofagasta and tie best of the iron deposits are those b1- longing to the Bethlehem Steel com pany, further down the coast near Coquimbo. El.ch of these properties is worth tens or millions l shall write of taem in the future
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-09-20

so by the recent Improvements. Many or the neW streets are now so high that one has to go down steps to get into fhe older buildings still standing.
 The harbor of Valparaiso. as it Is roWt Is not safe Tn certain weather. IL needs breakWaters and other improve lnents The large ships anchor some distance out from the shore and goods and passengers are landed in boats The scene coming into the harbor is beautiful. The city Is built about bay, of the shape of half moon. Tie big warehouses and most important business blocks are on the edge of this bay, and back of 1t, rising almost straight up from the water is an am phitheater of hills, covered with houses. These hills are so steep that the houses are built on terraces and the people go from level to level on cog railroads. These roads are much like elevators, save that they go up en the slant, instead of perpendicularly There is one of them at every few blocks. and you can pick them out with your eyes as you come in on the steamer At night the view from the ship is especially beautiful. The houses on the hills and on the walls of the amphitheater are ablaze with lights, and in addition are electric lights on the streets, making the whole look like a maze of great fireflies moving about over the black walls of the hills.
 The moment we came into the port today our ship was boarded by fleteros or boatmen, who demanded to take our selves and trunks to the shore. l had already been posted as to the prices aI.d arranged with one at & cost of s25 in Chilean money to take me through the and n tha fal This jIigt about equals s5 American. A moment later my trunks had been lowered over the sides and I was moving in a boat through the busy harbor. We had to watch out for the lounches, of which there were scores flying this way and that; we passed great barges of goods being lowed to and fro and wound our way through many great sailing craft, some of which were loaded with lumber from California and Puget Sound. We passed on Chilean man-o' war, went under the shadow of a dry dock cob- taining 8 steamer and finally came to the wharf just opposite the Intendencia or governors palace. It took but short time to go through the customs and a little later we were driving through the city over streets paved with asphalt and lined with stores that would not have been out of place Tn New York or Boston.
 The thing that most interested me at first sight was the street cars. These are of two stories, with a second tier of seats on the roof. There is iron stairway at the back end of the car that leads to the second story, and one can ride through the town as though on an elevated railway. There Is no roof to this story, and 1t forms the best place for view of the city. Besides the fares are cheaper on top than in the closed car below. l paid only i cent of our money per trip. The rates below are only cents, and this l am told that the
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-09-20

footing, drink, and women Every unit that left London or the nelghborhood was visited by him before tt left. and in many cases he was at the railway stations when they entrained.
 The British soldier is inclined in peace times to grumble at Kitchener as mar tinet, but in war he loves him.
 And just a word in conclusion. Already they are talking of Kitchener as the ouke'' in certain select political circles in London. When this war is over and especially if the Kaiser is crushed, noth- ing will be too good for the soldier who was ready when England needed him.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-09-20
Wise Old Bostan

From the Louisville Courier Journal These tortuous streets of Boston are vindieated at last"
 How so?''
 ''It is impossible to speed automo- piles on them."
Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1914-07-04

you ever had the thought of it come
back to you after years, and haunt
you with your own meanness Have
you ever done a kind deed which you
had forgotten, and years afterward
have someone remind you of the fact
that you helped him get a start in
life, and tell you how grateful he was
for your help? The work YOU are
doing on No. s will give you the con-
seriousness of having done something
for the world. Those who may be
most benefited may never know that
you did it, but down in your heart
will be the satisfaction Of having
served them, and when those devils
of remorse come to taunt you with
what you've done that was mean, or
the lost opportunities for doing good,
you can say to yourself: That all
may be true, but I've done one thing
in my life that was worth doing, al
though it was hard, | plOwed No. 6,
and you will find that the conscious
ness of a hard duty we'll performed
is verify a mighty rock, if the work
was done as loving service to our
Heavenly Father, and for our broth
ers.
Then men who have the easy
things in life are not to be envied.
Seek We first the Kingdom of Heav-
en- That means climbing up the
mountain, and to do that you must
have endurance, patience, and the be-
lief that there is top, and that you
can reach it; and as you stand there
above the clouds. and above the tur-
MOL and strife Of life, you will find
that all the things in life that are
worth the having. and for which men
strive so hard, have really been added
unto you, for you would not exchange
your place with those in the valley