davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1914-10-08
FARMING IN ALASKA
Tanana Valley Fields Surpass
/ Yield of Dakota Land.
Would Be Arid Desert Were Il not
That 1t Is Frozen From Surface to
Bedrock, and Its Moisture
Conserved.

Fairbanks, Alaska. - Imagine a
great bowl of ice 800 miles long and
so miles wide Sprinkle it with a
layer of dirt. Light it with a sun
that beams down with tropic intens-
ity % of the "A hours of a day. Give
it the climate of arid Arizona, with
its ten inches of rainfall every year.
Now you have fair picture of the
Tanana valley located almCJt in the
geographical center of Alaska, whose
farms surpass in productivity and
wealth of yield the best Dakotas or
the cream of the Canadian Northwest
prairies, to which thousands of our
middle West farmers annually mi
CRATE, says the Technical World Mag
azine.
Barred from the softening influence
of the warm Japan current by a range
of high and precipitous mountains,
which include such giants as Mount
st. Elias and Mount Mckinley (alti-
tude 25,500 feet), the Hottest on the
American continent, this valley is
only made endurable for plant life
by the fact that the whole region, ex-
cept the surface, is frozen.
The moisture arising from the Japan
current i'll the form of clouds settles
against these mountains and is pre-
cipitated as snow, forming the ire
mendous glaciers in the southern por-
tiCn of Alaska. The air is then freed
= &C. ~sx4,, IV-xy iVrfn
the Tanana valley. The valley has 70
more moisture, no more rainfall, than
Arizona. The Tanana valley would
be an arid desert were it not for the
fact that 1t is frozen from surface
to bedrock and every drop of wa
ter and every snowflake which falls
in that country is conserved. 1t sinks
into the ground and is frozen there
1t is maintained in cold storage.
When the warm spring sun touches
up the clods, it begins thawing. Then
the Fairbanks farmers plant their
gardens and as the moisture is need
ed it comes from below. The thaw-
ing continues all summer. The Tan
ana people have 9 sub-irrigation sys-
tenn which nature operates for them
that beats any irrigation system in
any of the western states, and which
does not now, and never will cost a
sent to maintain.
The clearing of farm land about
Fairbanks is going on rapidly. Last
No
nearly double all that which had been
cleared and cultivated in previous
years. The yield of those crops is a
matter Of amazement and surprise
to the producers themselves, because
there, as elsewhere, it has been sup
posed that the lands were worthless
for farming purposes.
The United States experimental
farm is located at Fairbanks. There
The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1914-10-08

She would pick a stray flower and
press it to her lips as If she loved itS
The birds lowered near her as though
they knew her for a friend. Her face
was like that of seraph, her eye1
shone with the pure peaceful calm
of glorified spirit.
Then she faced the sunset and he1
rhapsodic. 1t was psalm Of gratts
tude to the great power, Love, fos
whom moved all the springs OF her
being Then she went in among the
little habitations.
Feeble old men blessed her as she
passed by. Pain-faced women basked
in her smile She had cheer for all,
Then when she entered hut after huS
and ministered to the needs of bed1
ridden men and women, Roscoe Phai1
understood that she was the nurse
in charge of this strange camp. /;
Upon the faces of all save thisI
grand spirit immune, there was al
shadow a blight. OF a sudden the
full realization of the scene dawnedI
upon Roscoe Phail-
A leper community!
Then what mission had he, the
spirit of JOY, in this desolate spot act
cursed of man, Stunned by all huy
mainly? What part had Joy amid
suffering, Punishment, isolation.
But he soon knew. When those
poor unfortunates gathered within the
larger structure Of the group at even
tide to listen to the instructive, di-
recting or entertaining words of their
monitor and nurse, a restful calm
came to the wandering spirit.
Here, indeed, was joy! The sacri-
flee of love, comfort, security on the
part of this glowing young creature
seemed to fill every soul with graft
tude. She told them simple story
and Roscoe Phail understood.
It was the story OF Morton Ross.
This was his orphan daughter. She
recited the kindness OF noble man
himself-who had helped lift her ia
Their from the miry clay and set his
feet upon a rock, how she, from the
inspiration of that great deed, had
been moved to devote her life to
lofty sacred purpose. So she was
among Granddaughter, sister, COM
panion and friend.
And then it seemed as though the
mission of the wandering spirit was
ended. Here was joy in its highest
attainment-service. Here, too, was
JOY in patient hopeful waiting, in a
companionship that shut in a few
lonely souls as to little heaven Of
their own, despite their affliction.
So, the wandering spirit found its
dwelling place and was content,
! merging into the loving soul of the
devoted creature whose mission was.
love immortalized, whose mind was
a palace! l
Copyright. 1914 by w. g. Chapman)
The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1914-10-08
Rector Had Best Of joke.

Much over hundred years ago,
when degrees were more in demand
than at the present time, Pitcairn,
then at Edinburgh, in order to atfront
a Dutch university, where he himself
had graduated and where degrees had
been much prostituted, sent for dl-
plona for his valet, which being grant
ed, he sent for another for his horse,
to which last request the rector re-
piled that with view to oblige him
they had consulted their records for
precedent, but that they could not IND
one, though, under the name OF Pit
cairn. it appeared that the university
had once conferred an honorary de-
gree upon all ass.
The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1914-10-08
SUICIDES ON THE INCREASE
Development of Woman's Movement in
Germany Carries With 1t Much
SeIf-Destruction.

Berlin.-The development of the
woman's movement in Germany car
ries with it remarkable increase in
suicides by women. While the ratio
of suicides of men remain constant
during the 20 years ended with 1912.
the number of women suicides In
creased from S.3 to 1915 per 100000 of
the woman population. While there
are doubtless many causes for the in
crease, the chief cause is said to be
the fact that women have gone into
workshop and factory, mercantile en-
pigments and the professions, much
more extensively than 20 years ago.
They have shouldered larger respon-
sibilities and have exposed themselves
to greater economic and social dam
gers. That the cause is largely an eco
nomic one Is evident from the great
increase of woman suicides at Berlin,
where nearly 48 women take their
own lives to every 100 men.
The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1914-10-08
LIKED GOOD OLD FLINTLOCK
At First That Form Of Flrearm Was
Preferred to Samuel Colt's
Invention.

It is now just 100 years since the
birth Of Samuel Colt, who in 1877
shipped before the mast as a sailor
lad on the ship Corlo, bound from Bos-
ton to Calcutta. While on that voyage
he whitfield out the wooden model OF
revolving pistol, says the Advance. In
1885 he went abroad again, this time
to secure patents in foreign countries
for his new pepper-box gun. Then he
returned to America and tried to in
terest the government of the United
States in weapon which could be
loaded on Sunday and shot all the
week. But he had no immediate sue
cess in the endeavor The officers of
the army frowned upon it, It would
not so. To be sure, it shot, and shot,
ana shot, six times; but it used the
nets percussion cap and not the good
old feliable flint.
1t would not do to indorse a gun
which depended on anything less reli-
able than the good old flint The old
time f1intlock was good enough for
them. 1t was good enough for Wash
ington, was good enough for grim Old
Hickory, for Tippecanoe and Tyler too,
and good enough for them. Had it not
served our country in the past? And
what reason had we to expect that
the future could be saved otherwise?
SO Colt and his new six-shooting gun
met with little favor in Washington.
Dot III 1t
nitrous oxide and went around the
country as Doctor Colt" giving lee.
lures and administering Laughing
gas" to his audiences, and he took in
a barrel of money and built factory
and made his revolvers and sold them
and grew rich and gave Hartford a
park.
Two men secured parks for Hart
ford, Horace Bushnell, who, having no
money, preached and pleaded an
stirred up public sentiment till the
people taxed themselves to buy park,
and Samuel Colt, who sold so many
revolvers that he had to get rid of his
money in some way-Bushnell park
and Colt park-there they are!
1t was the laughing gas that secured
the money, but often it has been no
laughing matter. For every now and
then somebody has gotten in front of
a Colt revolver at the wrong time and
something has happened to him.
On July 10 Hartford celebrated the
one hundredth anniversary of the birth
of Samuel Colt. A medal was struck
and 500 of these were distributed in
honor of the man who invented the
revolver. If we knew who invented
the flintlock, he, too, might well de-
serve a medal. But what about the
men who would not believe in the re-
volver because it did not use a flint
lock? Is there anyone who proposes
a medal for them?
Yet the good old fiintlock has glo'
rious place in American history.
The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1914-10-08
Chimes at Niuht.

There is one nocturnal noise which
most of us, when we hear it, contrive
to tolerate. That man would have no
music in his soul who should grumble
at the ringing of the midnight chimes.
Do you remember the experience Of
Henry Ryecroft?" II once passed a
night in a little market town where
/ had arrived tired and went to bed
early. 1 slept forthwith, but was pres
emily awakened by know not what;
In the darkness there sounded sort
of music, and, as my brain cleared,
/ was aware of the soft Ginning of
church bells. Why, what hour could
it be? l struck light and looked at
my watch. Midnight Then a glow
came over me. We have heard the
chimes at midnight, Master Shallow
Never till then had heard them. And
the town in which l slept was Eve
saw, but few miles from Stratford-
on-Avon. From the London Chron-
icle.
The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1914-10-08
Frankly EXPRESSED poubt.

The late Sir Francis ]. Campbell
was. perhaps the most. famous blind
man of his day. Born in Tennessee
in 1892, he lost his sight when he was
four years old. Nevertheless, he be-
came a successful musician, and event
ually founded the Royal Normal Col
lege and Academy of Music. for the
Blind at Norwich, England, where
many blind persons have learned how
to support themselves. Sir Francis
was a keen sportsman, a cyclist, an
oarsman a football player, and an
Alpine climber. He was the only blind
man that ever assembled Mont Blanc.
"Are you really blind, Campbell Tyn-
dali asked him on one of his noun
taineering expenditions, cor are you
only humbug?"
The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1914-10-08
Tallow Candles.

Away out in the prairie regions,
Then meetings are held at night in the
log schoolhouses, the announcement
Of the meeting is given out In this
way: "A meeting will be held by early
candlelight" The first man who comes
brings a tallow dip with him.
1t does not light the building much.
but it is better than none at all. The
next man brings his candle, and the
next family bring their candles. BY
the time the house is full there is
plenty Of light. So II we all shine a
little there will be good deal of light.
If we cannot all be lighthouses
any one of us can, at any rate, DO q
aallow candle.-D. L. MOODY.
The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1914-10-08

Roscoe Phail was dead There was
of Identity present with him, as in
the same room where his white set
face looked up from the satin-lined
casket he was conscious only of be-
ing a spiritual entity, nothing more.
A part Of ray of light, of cur
lacking form and substance, still did
he possess the full compromising
sense. Pain was gone, desire, specu-
lation-he was simply passive and
content He viewed the group in the
room clearly, he took in their spoken
words.
HE was a good man." said one
of his oldest former friends.
"A patient unselfish person to the
last" appended a physician.
Soulful always, charitable and
above all grateful" added the clergy
man. "They tell me he was once a
dissipated man, leading to painful
sickness for years. He came out of
the ordeal a changed Chastened being.
In his gratitude for life, he vowed
to devote it to others. Nobly has he
kept his pledge"
And then the low voiced throng
began to recite many and maLy in
cidents of little and great deeds that
the philanthropist had done for the
good of humanity.
Roscoe Phail took the recitals in
as one would listening casually to a
moderately interesting story. He was
not conscious of self-glorifcation, of
the deserving reward for well doing.
Finally the lawyer said:
Strange, but the day Mr.. Phail
died | received letter from a far
distant place. 1t seems that about
ten years ago Mr.. Phail put on his
feet worthless inebriate named Nor
ton Ross The letter is from a rela-
tive of that person now dead, telling
how Ross reformed and how that in
cident has led to q great result to
humanity"
Morton Ross! Why, Phan had for
gotten the incident years agone.
Even now it appealed to him as quite
commonplace among what he consid-
cred greater acts Of thoughtfulness
and charity In his career.
All! He did not know-did not
know that the deed he did that day
The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1914-10-08
Hotel Clerk Should
Show More Friendliness
BY Alfred T. Hoffman. Brooklyn, N. Y.

ably the United States With few EXCEPTIONS the hotel clerk this
think that he doing favor to
So SIS 1t different the old country In most
the larger Europe particularly London the hotel
agemen recognizes the fact that the who registers is guest
The hotel the host should accordingly In London the
the makes feel that
welcome II he doesn't his 81 glad to have
here"
In New York and throughout this counnorth and soutthe
stranger rule greeted with degree of welcome In New
realizing the Importance of play
ing desk ready friendly and to make
feel home ALI the hotels this country should
likewise would make the have all the better
opinion of visiting for the first time
The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1914-10-08
Activities Of Women.

Russia has over 40 female priests.
st. Louis has woman's law college.
The Japanese newspapers employ
many women.
Women are most preferred as mill
tary spies.
Three women of France have vol
unteeredz to serve in the aviation
corps. They are experienced avia-
trices, holding pilots licenses, and
two of them-Mlle. Marvingt and
Helen Dutrien-have done scout duty
since war was declared.
Among the prominent American
women who are assisting in Red Cross
work in France are: Mrs. w. X. Van
derbilt, who has a private hospital in
Paris; Mrs. Van Allen Shields, Mrs.
Potter Palmer, Mrs Caroline Frank
and Mrs. Clarence H. Mackay.
The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1914-10-08
Cross Knife and Fork in Reverence

Cross Knife and Fork in Reverence.
The old custom of crossing the knife
and fork after dining had it's origin,
if we may trust F. w. Burgess ex-
PLANTATION in his new book, "Chats on
Household Curios," in spirit of devo-
ton. He quotes Browning:
knife and fork he never lays
Crosswise, to my recollection,
AS do in Jesus praise
"In Russia" says Mr.. Burgess,
this custom of the peasantry was
deep-rooted, and there they were care
full to take up the knife and fork and
lay them down on the plate crossed
before commencing their meager meal.
Strange to say, that, although knives
and forks have been crossed in rever-
ence. to cross knives has been deemed
unlucky, and to give a. maiden a pair
of scissors-two crossed blades-has
long been held by those who believe
in such signs as unlucky."
The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1914-10-08

in the long past for one Morton Ross,
was destined to shine and bring forth
glorious fruit for aye!
With the removal OF his mortal
part the next day, the spirit of Roscoe
Phail seemed to float from the old
environment. 1t was a fight to the
stars, grope beneath vast ocean
depths, now in the holy silence of
some dense African forest never in
vaded by the foot Of man, again on
the mountain tops OF some lofty
Himalaya range; unhampered, time,
space, distance annihiiated, his ego
wandered. Id the great broad sense
of divinity the world lay before him
a mere midget of the universe. Cities
were as ant hills, events panoramic.
And then, the newness of illin1it-
able omnipresence wearing away, a
great longing came TO him. Material
things were as nothing now, not even
love. The spirit seemed to crave for
some high pure ideal where the soul
could be fed and satisfied. There
came a keen mental analysis. What
had been his earthly LIES greatest
boon? And, thinking of the goodness
of heaven, the strong contrast of his
latter life, purified as by fire, his an
swer was speedy-@Joy."
So it came to his soul that as one
man might have the predominating
spirit of peace, another Of hope, an
other Of faith, with him full souled
joy had wrought out blessed meas
ure of existence. Dear old world
his creed had run, II love every
body!" and he had lived out the SEN
timent and had been happy.
Joy, an essence, an inspiration, an
expression of gratitude-it was as
much an entity, as sunshine, or the
perfume of flowers, as the rare In
fiuence of music. All found abiding
places in some souls craving the
guest. Where could Joy discover a
sure dwelling place?
In the palace of kings where power
and luxury prevailed the seeking
spirit sought home. Alas power
was fleeting, wealth a canker In
lower social grades there were only
selfish desires, vanity, duplicity.
There were peaceful and striving
hearts afiame with the zeal of re-
ligious fervor, it was true, but these
already had their meet guest.
At the end of a week OF wandering
the ego of Roscoe Phail lowered over
an isolated island amid a disma
ocean solitude. At one end was &
cluster Of small but pleasantly en-
vi-oned huts. Directly within hi!
view where patch Of glowing green
cry showed, arrayed in plain ccars'
dress Was young girl
The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1914-10-08
Activities of Women.

Queen Eleanore of Bulgaria has
served in two wars.
England and Wales have 94,841
women farm laborers.
Germany has more women than men
by over eight hundred thousand.
Belgian women are learning to shoot
with rifles.
In order to get at the true condi-
tons first hand, Miss Elizabeth Wat
son engaged herself as worker in
the oyster canneries of the South.
where she found the children stunted
from overwork.
Thousands of women in France will
be given employment during the war
time through efforts of America
amounting to $60,000,000.
Lady Cook is endeavoring to raise
an army of 10000 English women,
which she plans to drill and train to
act as a home guard. She plans to
have regiments of women wearing
khaki uniforms, just like men.
The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1914-10-08
qI Give Every Young
Woman an Equal Chance
BY Rev. DR.. ]. F. Prentice. New Orean,.La.

when they show the inclination do great
many more they given the right sort Of treat
m
make false step not the
same opportunity reform is extended to her brother
have great deal and have observed closely and have
veto find a market for wild oats.
The fellows get with and steady
hands, and not the prodiga sons
The killed for the prodga daughter but the
back home through the side streets and alleys and
at the back door shun her she
a contagion
The difference of the daughter and the wild oats
sowing of the son is not fair.
The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1914-10-08
NEVER NEEDS TO BE WOUND
This Clock Runs Until Metal Parts
That Constitute Its Works Are
Worn Out.

Clocks that tell the time with only
one hand are something of novelty
but they cannot compare with re-
Gently invented clock which never
needs winding. 1t will run forever-or
at least until its metal parts wear out;
This sounds like the old fallacy of
perpetual motion, but, as a matter of
fact, is far from it. The new clock
runs by using in an ingenious way the
energy produced by changes in tenn;
perature.
Metal bars, which are very sensitive
to temperature changes, are arranged
in such a manner that when the meri
curry falls and the bars contract this
slight motion of the metal is fully used,
When the thermometer goes up and
the, bars expand slightly, the motion
involved in their frightening is also
made to do work. w
The motion from the bars lifts tiny
steel balls from lower reservoir to an
upper one. There they are made to
turn a wheel in much the same way
that water turns an old-fashioned
water wheel.
The energy resulting from the ex4
pansion and contraction Of metal as
the temperature changes can be used
only to operate mechanism like that of
clocks and watches, which requires
only small amount of power. 1t is
too expensive to be used where much
power is required. #4 s1.ss,a
Somebody with a fondness for math-
ematics has estimated that to gen.
crate single horse power in this way
would cost nearly fifty million dol
lars .s1 ~ - 49,
The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1914-10-08

are about 90 acres under cultivation.
The report of the 1912 crop shows
Red Fife wheat yielded SIS bushels to
the acre from the soil under natural
condition there. Romanoff spring
wheat, planted in 1912, and harvested
about September 1, shows a produc-
ton of so bushels to the acre. Wild
Goose wheat grew 60 bushels to the
acre.
These wonderful results can be di-
rectly traced to the fact that during
the whole of the growing season there
is no darkness. 1t is all daylight
From May to the beginning of Sep
TENDER one can read a newspaper out
of doors at midnight.
The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1914-10-08
Thino of the Past.

Our memory goes back to the time
when the mere sight Of bolt OF red
flannel in the dry goods store would
give rise to the most tender feelings in
young mans breast, but we suppose
the young men of the present day
would wonder what in the world the
stuff was ever used for.-Ohio State
Journal.
The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1914-10-08
Out of Pan.

The small boys sister came In from
play on the first day Of her visit and
asked for a drink.
There's the water pail" said her
grandmother.
"But what shall I use to drink
within"
use this" said the old lady, hand
ing the child tin dipper.
"Honest?" cried the little girl do
you want me to drink out of this PAM"
New York News.
The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1914-10-08
Controlling Spirit Of
Existence In Man
By M. P. PERRY. Green River. Wyo.

are placed this salvation forget the higher
aspects of our moral exciting of life and
prefer viewpoint suit convenience rather
excg and less attractive that ne who knows
all things best may choo for u.s.
We find hard the trvaes perpxit and
M perhaps because Notwithstanding
denunciaton really find them too full of interest surrender
absolutely or possibly than live
the of either the the hereafter
Society acting clerks the stores filling the
ulaces of men going front Besides satisfying patriotism this
ought to give chances Of getting their
Sometimes fellow thinks he the contest girls affections
only to find out when 8 too late that he lost
seldom hear successful knocking other people for the
way they do things
Making ups rapidly becoming art in this country
The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1914-10-08
Slid to Liberty in Chute.

Fort Leavenworth, Kan.-By sliding
so feet through coal chute from the
tipple at the state prison mine to q
car outside the walls, Lige Howard.
serving a five-year term at Fort Leav-
enworth, made his escape.
The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1914-10-08
<0W.M.t..<,C

A stranger gets his first
impression of any city he
happens to visit from the
hotel at which he registers.
1 was born in New York,
but have travelled in Europe