davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1914-10-24
NEW FINISH FOR WALLS.
Latest Idea Is Com bined Cement and
Asbestos Sheet

The latest thing in finishing boards
FOR walls and ceilings is a combined
cement and asbestos sheet that is said
to have the virtue of not only being
hre-resistive, but of taking a fine deco
rative hnlSh. says the Record and
Guide. The sheets are made in con-
v.n!ent sizes. The idea in putting this
in.prcTeG board on the market appar-
entity. is to pvt within the reach OF
..ery Householder or every owner con-
s.derirg alterations 10 the interior of
b;.iidings means whereby he may
practically cut his nre risk in half
without heavy additional expense.
SO the board has been made Larticu-
larly applicable to Kitchens, bath
rooms, finished laundrieS and base
rnents: also 10 atuicS and dumb waiter
shafts, or, in fact. to any other place
where. un';"r strong draught. Il fire Is
likely to spread rapidly. 1t is capable
OF taking I coat OF paint. yet its COM
position is so arranged that the deco
rstive dressing viii rot crack or blis-
ter under varying temperatures. as in
bathrooms or kitchens or laundries.
For office reInodeiinG it is said to be
particularly applicable. especially if
paneled effects are desired, because it
is possible to wash down the painted
surfaces if they become soiled.
Evening star., 1914-10-24
Gas Piping Essential.

We are learning every day that the
matter of the gas piping of new build
1ngs is being given consideration A
few years ago an architect would
eliminate gas pipes in order to keep
his figures within bounds. The archi-
tects and owners now realize that there
was economy in leaving out gas
piping. Gas has been so largely
adopted fuel that both architects
and builders or owners realize that all
big buildings must be equipped with
gas. says Robert +. Livingstone in the
New York Herald.
This change in the determination of
architects and builders TO provide gas
pipes is but natural. A builder or
owner may think today that his new
building will be occupied by certain
tenant who will have no use for gas
A few weeks hence another tenant may
enter the building who will insist on
using gas for fuel. This change may
require that the newly built walls be
opened and gas pipes inserted. This
means additional eXoense to the
owner OF the building. Eowadays all
newly constructed buildings are built
with gas pipes on every floor. Ex-
perience has taught architects and
owners alike that modern building
must include gas piping.
Evening star., 1914-10-24
The Carpenters Kit.

= CUMMING
writer in one of the English build
ing papers comments as follows upon
the subject indicated by the above
title:
The carpenter without his tools is 4
lost man. In this respect he is at a
disadvantage compared with other
tradesmen. who, as a rule, can borrow
what they require from fellow work
men, or in some cases, can obtain a
loan of them from their employers But
the carpenter carries his calling in his
bag when he goes to a job. and if
through any unforeseen cause or mis-
fortune this bag or it's normal con-
tents are absent. he is in very bad
way indeed The pawnbroker's assist
ant, who is we'll posted upon all that
concerns his fellow man, is well aware
of this fact, and is always prepared to
advance Il reasonable amount on a car
penter's kit, as it is certain to be re-
deemed again, and not left on his
hands, and the man who lives by his
wits, who is also pretty well informed.
turns this trait of the above pawn
broker to account by stealing carpen-
ters' kit bags, and hypothecating'
them.
England, by the way, is the only
country where workman's tools are
a legal pledge, and are accepted by
pawnbrowers. Elsewhere it is an Of
Tense, punishable by fine or imprison-
ment, for a pawnbroker TO advance
money on the tools by which a man
earns his living. But there is. OF course,
another side to the picture, and this is
when man is compelled to part. at
any rate temporarily. with his Kit to
keen himself alive L lived for two
days on my saw. said Il man M.he had
been through the mill Of misfortune,
and one day on the hammer and CHS
els: the bag and the smaller tolls stood
me off for two days more.
Evening star., 1914-10-24
C0BBLESTONES MAKE
ARTISTIC BUNGALOWS
Interesting Markings May Be Given
Prominence by
Splitting.

In the building of bungalows and
to the adaptability of cobbles stones
when used as building material, for
apparently they can be brought into
more or less harmony with every style
of architecture that has about it any
seInblance of ruggedness, says John S.
Edmund in the American Carpenter and
Builder
If the Immediate neighborhood is still
left in it's rugged condition it estab-
fishes a link between the building in
which the stone is used and the sur
rounding country where it is situated
Where the stone is native to the en-
vironment it tends TO give the building
familiarity with the setting.
The splitting of stones brings into
prominence all the interesting mark
inSs and variegated colors of red,
brown gray and blue that are to be
found in the rock which are not in
evidence On the face, owing to the ac-
to the variety of colorinS in the new
exposed surface these stones will har-
monlze in practically every case with
the most carefully planned woodwork.
The commissioners used for bunga-
lows and houses are of VARYING
sizes. They should neither be too
small nor too large to give the best
erect. Stones ranging from about 5
inches to : or inches in diameter are
found to be the most desirable Care
should be taken in selecting the stone
so as to get irregular shapes and sizes
as they give the most pleasing effect
The stone may be variously laid; some
times the joints are made to follow
the natural formations of the stones
ana IN some cases the stones are
clipped to give q better structural ap-
pearance. The joints may be raked
out so that no mortar is seen or NAV
be made as near flush as possible with
the face of the stone.
Evening star., 1914-10-24
SALES INVOLVE $42,775.
Transactions in New Homes An.
nounced by Phillips & Sager.

Sales of new houses consummated
during the last ten days involving a
total of s42,775 were announced today
by Phillips & Sager, real estate
brokers, as follows:
To Charles H. Barton, 301S Park
place northwest; to ]. K. Fritz, 3O14
Park place northwest; to E. Rausch
1922 Park place northwest; to Ralph
Soule. 214 14h street northeast; to
James T. Pardee. 1112 Monroe street
northwest; to Bessie H. Levi. 1912
Shepherd street northwest; to Mrs. p
V. McKenna, 1914 Shepherd street
northwest; to C. E. Whitney. 622
Gresham place northwest; to F. n
f. l.. Embrey. 263 14h street north
east; to S. w. Stubblefield, 1928 Cor
bin street northeast: to Mary V. Blue
1910 4th street northwest: to W. F.
Lindsey, 1852 Champlain avenue north
west.
Evening star., 1914-10-24
ASSESSORS ANNUAL REPORT
WIDELY DISCUSSED DOCUMENT
Places Ground Values In District at $780,
100000, Which Is $2O0,000OOO Less
Than George Report Figure.

most of the large sales-particularly in
the squares where property has been
active.
1t is also asserted that sales have
last three or four years fairly to lndf-
cate property values in all the high
class business squares. On the other
hand owners of property assert that
sales during this period are excessive
and that assessment should be below
rather than above these sales: that the
character of the market is such that
sales are not as frequent and likely to
be slow for three or four years to come.
Appeals were very heavy in the business
section and there is still some dissatis-
faction with the assessments. 1t is ru-
mored that certain owners have inter
viewed members of the District COM
mittee and expressed dissatisfa ction
with the high valuations
In view of this it is difficult to think
that the assessors valuation of SEQ
100000 is too small an amount, and it
does not require an ina gination to pic
ture what would result if a raise of
500. 100000 should be brought about
under the circumstances. -
Suburban Acreage Dull.
Concerning suburban property there
is no doubt that sales are difficult to
make and that property values are in a
duiescent state. One broker recently
declared that unsubdivided ground was
not salea BILE at any price. and that no
one wanted il, or cared to loan money
on it, and that the prices which pre-
vailed three years ago must now be
discounted from rs to so per cent. AS
an example, certain piece of prop
erty which sold two years ago for
$500 per acre is now incapable OF
producing q 500 loan per acre, it was
stated. Certain subdivisions that were
opened five or six years ago are selling
today at the same prices per square
foot, indicating no material advance
for several years in the suburban sub
divisions.
In proportion to it's population Wash
ington, it is stated compares with
Boston and New York city in assess
mcnt OF property. Those cities are sup
posed to be assessed to the limit be-
cause of the necessity of borrowing
money or floating bonds to an amount
measured by the size of the assess
mcnt Compared with cities of it's size,
Washington is highly assessed. and to
increase the valuation for revenue pur-
POSES would. in the opinion of many
who have Investigated the findings of
the assessment board. place a serious
burden on the taxpayers of the capi-
tai
Evening star., 1914-10-24
.HE name Krupp is one of the most
familiar in the world. The Krupp
= works and Krupp guns. or sim


L works and Krupp guns. or sim
ply "Krupps," are familiar to all Ameri-
cans. Every American who can read,
and some who cannot, have heard OF
krupp even though only a few of them
can tell where ore by whom American
field, fort and naval artillery is made.
The house of krupp is national and
an international institution. 1t is cele-
brated for it's guns. its armor ana
other steel products. Though there are
in other parts of Europe, in England,
France and Austria gun-making plants
of immense size, the krupp plant Is
larger than any.
The first of the Krupp ironmasters.
steel makers, gun builders and armor
forgers was Friedrich, who was born
in 17S7, and died in 1926. The making
of cast steel was a closely guarded
English trade secret, but Friedrich de-
veloped a cast-steel process and In 1910
he founded n small plant near Essen.
where he made mint dies, stamps Tor
buttons and other relatively inconsid-
erable things. His trade was SO small
that he could not keep his little plant
in Continuous operation, and fortune
went so badly with him that in 1920
he was compelled to give up his house
to occupy small. one-story iaborers $
cottage near his plant. and this hut is
still preserved in the midst OF the
present great establishment.
Friederich Krupp committed his cast
steel process to his son Alfred, VINO
was born in 1872 and died in 1887.
He improved his fathers process and
in the science of steel making stood
high and gathered around him men OF
handing attainments in this vast
branch of industry. The first Krupp
gun, a siX-pounder. OF steel was ex-
hihited at the London international eX-
position in 1851 and marked d revolu-
ton in gun-raking. \ recent writer
on this subject obtained statistics
showing that since that exposition the
German army and navy have bought
$4,000 krupp guns. and that 10000
Krupp guns have been sold in the last
half century to fifty-two nations
throughout the world-twenty-th in
Europe, eighteen in America. six in
Asia and five in Africa.
After the death of Alfred his son.
Friedrich Alfred. who was born in 1854
and died in 1902, was the head of the
house. which continued to grow in Il
gigantic way as the German empire de-
veloped and as other nations renewed.
moderniZed and increased their arnla-
ment. Friedrich Alfred's daughter Rer-
tha and her husband, who was DIR. Won
Rchleu und Halbach, but who under
order of the kaiser is entitled to be
called Krupp Won Bohlen, are now the
rulers of this wonderful plant.
Evening star., 1914-10-24
ADVOCATES SAFEGUARDS
FOR SUBURBAN BUYERS
Realty Bulletin Suggests Legislation
to Check Dishonest
Dealers.

The opening of so-called city addi-
tions far beyond city limits should en-
gage the earnest attention of real es-
tate boards, both to safeguard the in
terests of the purchaser and of the
reputable dealer, says the Kansas City
Real Estate Bulletin.
Subdivision of farms ct distance
from transportation. where sewers and
water supply cannot be obtained, and
where the improvements of every
character are left to somewhat
doubtful feature, is department of
real estate activity which deserves
reasonable regulation.
The condition could be remedied in
part by legislation which would require
all improvements to be paid for before
property is offered for sale. Such legis-
lation would protect the public and do
more to restore the allotment business
to a sound basis than any other thing.
Evening star., 1914-10-24

Citizens of Anacostia and it's vicinity
are proud of the community flower beds.
located at the corner of Nichols ave-
nue. and L street, and which, at the
present. probably are more beautiful
than at'any other time The beds have
brought about the transformation of a
piece of vacant property. covered with
weeds, tin cans and rubbish, into
beauty spot.
The idea was conceived by Maurice
Otterback, chairman of the committee
on streets and highways of the Ana
costa Citizens AsSocia tion. Last year
Mr.. Otterback was instrumental in hav-
Ing several small beds placed there as
an experiment. These proved very sue
cessful. and at the spring meeting OF
the association this year Mr.. Otterback
asked that Il committee be appointed to
superintend the preparation and care
Evening star., 1914-10-24

ing flowers. Samuel H. Lucas gave
much of his time to arranging the
flowers. and it is largely due to his
work that such a success has been at
tanned. The American Security and
Trust Company, trustees for the prop
erty. gave permission for the use of
the ground.
MIR. Otterback, as chairman of the
committee. is the authority for the
statement that Anacostia has the dis
tinction of having the only community
garden in the District, having been
provided by the citizens and maintained
by them. When the Commissioners
visited the suburb recently they paid a
high compliment to those who had been
instrumental in accomplishing these re-
suits. and said that such an outward
evidence of keen interest was greatly
desired. 1t is likely that as a result
of the beginning other vacant spots in
this suburb will be beautified next
season.
Evening star., 1914-10-24
Civilizing the Home.
From Golfers.

y
A news item from Wisconsin shows
how the world is moving toward justice
within the family. We recommend
this to those who regard the family
as an obsolete device:
a wealthy farmer near West Salem
has been farned out to his wife by La
Crosse county and will work for wages,
all of which the county will turn over
to the wife. under the new Wisconsin
law.
She obtained her husbands conviction
on an assault charge. Should he default
or break faith. he will be subject to a
peni tertiary term.
What seems to be needed elsewhere
and what is being applied in Wisconsin
is this: A little common sense in law
and a little recognition by the courts
of the true responsibilities of the fam
lily relation. The home is not place
where a man can indulge his ill temper
because he pays the bills. Not in Wis
conSin.
Evening star., 1914-10-24

of larger beds. President Charles r.
Burr selected Mr.. Otterback, William
]. Latimer and William l.. Quaid.
This committee set to work collect
ing funds for these beds, and was sue
cessful in raising $50 from citizens of
the suburb. Application was made to
Col W. w. Harts, superintendent of
public building and grounds. for any
surplus plants at the propa eating gar
dens, which resulted in the request he
ing granted. Frederick II. Kramer also
assisted largely in providing several
thousand plants for the beds.
After the plants had been procured.
the work of improving the grounds was
begun. The beds were evenly laid off.
covering a space of about a half block
fronting on Nichols avenue, and five
were prepared. About sixty feet back
from the pavement n six-foot wire fence
was erected. At the present this fence
is covered with vines and pretty bloom
Evening star., 1914-10-24
I<KH UGH is being written of the
N bayonet in this war" said an

KIN n UGH is being written of the
M bayonet in this war;" said an
infantry officer. ''and officers
and other men interested in the study
of military matters have gasped with
astonishment that troops armed with
accurate, quick shooting and far-shoot-
ing magazine rifles have been driven
out of their intrenchments with the
bayonet. These bayonet charges have
been in broad daylight by and against
German troops.
THE bayonet, by good many men
in this country who ought to know and
who do know n great deal about the
subject, has been considered an obso-
lete weapon. The great weight of ex-
pert opinion. however, has been against
that extreme view. and the bayonet
has been retained in the United States
because it would be useful in making
or repelling night attacks and would
who had already been shattered or
shaken up by rifle fire. shrapnel fire
or high explosive shell.
at has not been thought even by
the Stanchest friends in this country
of the bayonet that men. not already
broken in numbers and morale by ar
tillery fire, and armed with these mod
ern rifles with fair field of fire In
out by the bayonet, even though the
force fighting on the defensive be
largely outnumbered by the attacking
force.
). x
"Yet the news from the battlefields
of France, Belgium, east Prussia, Po-
land and Galica is SO persistent and
corroborative in the matter of bayonet
fighting tnat ore cannot doubt that
| infantry is repeatedly coming to close
grips with the bayonet.
There is one significant thing in
these reports, and that is that. accord
ing to the news, not once has British
| trench been taken at the point of the
bayonet. British trenches on the way
back from Mons to the Marne were
made untenable by artillery fire aided
by rifle fire. and often these British
trenches were evacuated because adj
joining troops fell back or because a
f1anliing movement threatened them.
but not one reference in any message,
official or unofficial. even out of Berlin.
has been made to taking British
position with the bayonet.
Now, this fact is especially s1gnln-
cant as maintaining the American mill
tary view of the uselessness OF the
bayonet against the magazine rifle IN
daylight fighting.
when the American officer says, or
said, that intrenched infantry cannot
or could not be rooted out by bayonef
charge the idea was in his mind that
| those infantrymen were rifemen-thal
i is, that they had the high degree OF
| riflemanship which American regular
infantry has, and which is being sedu-
lously hammered into National Guard
| Infantry. The first requisite of field
soldier, from the American point OF
view, is ability to shoot, and by ability
Evening star., 1914-10-24
Within the Truth.

From .he Boston Transcript.
Victim-Look here. You said the house
was only a stones throw from the sta
ton. It's fully half mile.
Agent--Weil, I've seen i blast from a
quarry throw stones twice that distance
many a time.
Evening star., 1914-10-24
Marksmamship Versus Bayonet


to shoot is meant ability to shoot to hit,
to shoot with steadiness and delibera-
tion and to have nothing like nerves
in his eye or his trigger finger. This
ability to shoot is the American idea.
\ soldier should march and carry bis
pack and take care of his health in the
field, but il he is not a master with
his rife he is not efficient \ regiment
of men who can shoot VIII XIII dlvi-
sion of men who cannot shoot; and by
cannot shoot l mean the man who is
not prompt, steady and accurate with
his rifle. Any man with ten minutes
instruction and practice with r!he
can make A noise with IT and scatter
bullets but the average sort OF inter
Iligept and normal-nerved fellow needs
competent instruction and usually fons
practice and experience. In the Ameri-
can army such stress is laid on sooa
shooting and marching and sanitation
that refinement OF drill and much gar
rison and parade fuss and feathers
have been thrown on the scrap heap
..! have not the figures at hand. but l
know that the American army eNpends
more ammunition per man for targe,
practice than any other army IN the
world 1t pays an American soldier 10
shoot well. He draws bonus Tor qua.
ifyfng as markSman. larger bohuS
for qualifying as a 'sharpshooter' ana
a still larger bonus for qualifying as
an expert rifleman. To reach the low
est of these grades man must pe an
excellent shot and very handy person
with a rifle. The men who do not reach
the grade are usually trying and shoot L
, ing earnestly to do it. with the result
that ten or twenty men starting AT nm
with bayonets from point 400 yarus
away would not get within a huhdre"
yards of him.
| superior individual shooting means.
The Beers drove that lesson in upon
. them Since then they have been
practicing at the art of marksman
! ship, and being professional soldiers
F., as distinguished from conscript SOL
! diers. | have no doubt the average of
| their rifle fire is high. That is the
reason they have not been prodded out
of bitches by bayonets.
The conScript armies OF Germany,
! Russia, Austria and France have gone
| in strong for numbers. system. drilling,
camping and maneuvering. but they
| have not insisted on rifiemanship as
does the United States. Their troops
are shooting wildly and that is the
reason for the bayonet charges and
counter bayonet charges which are Sc
frequently occurring over there.
The battlefield is not the place TO
] learn craftsmanship. a soldier shou''i
| know it before he goes into action. in
battle he cannot tell where his shots
are striking or whether. hit is his
or another mans. He may have had
| no previous practical experience in
estimating ranges and if he has not
learned those necessary things about
squeezing the trigger. not 'canting
the gun, or whether he shoots with a
full sight. half sight or fine sight,
his shooting is bound to be wasteful
of ammunition and nothing like sc
deadly to his enemies as it should be- :
Evening star., 1914-10-24

One of the most widely discussed an
nual reports made by District gov
ernment official in many years is that
of w. p. Richards, assessor, in which
attention is called to the fact that the
new assessment places a valuation upon
ground values in the District at $780,
600, 900. as compared with the $500, ,900.-
600 valuation reported by the George
subcommittee of the Douse District
committee. which investigated local
assessment and taxation matters
In view of the fact the ratios drawn
in the George report between the a"
sessmcnt of high-class property. homes,
business and suburban property were
based on the tive-hundred- million dol
lar valuation alleged to exist, District
real estate men are wondering whether
the discrepancy between this valuation
and that found by the assessors is not
sufficiently great to throw serious
doubt upon the proportionatc figures on
various classes of property referred to
in the George report.
Where the difference of 100000, 900
exists is difficult to discover, it is point
ed out. especially in view of the fact
that data collected by the assessors
show that on county property, which
has been sold for a total of two and a
half million dollars. the committee
placed a valuation of SS,000.000, and
made similar valuations on surrounding
property,
In other words, records of sales of
county property. including from sixty
to seventy-five pieces, or about 1000
acres, reveal the fact that the land was
disposed of at about one-third of the
value placed upon it by the George
committee experts.
Big Discrepancy Found.
Another big discrepancy is found in
the business section between the $780,,
100000 valuation found by the assessors
and the S214.O0O.O0O valuation claimed
by the George committee. And again,
it is asserted. sales records support the
assessment figures. For example, one
large business square, which has been
particularly active from a real estate
standpoint in the last few years, has
contributed eleven sales totaling in
value S1.457.00O. This ground is as
sessed on the basis of S1,567, 900.
1t is claimed that throughout the bus
mess section the past assessments show
the same relative amounts, namely. that
assessments are 5 or 4 per cent above