davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington herald., 1914-07-26

cipal business centers on the line. The
| capital Of the corporation operating the
| tracks is 81. 900, 600: the bonded debt
/ amounts to $4S.000.O00
And yet but few people eastward OF
! the Mississippi, except brokers. bankers
and spectators. ever heard OF the Kan
sas City Southern Railway save casual
ly. Still it is helping to develop one
OF the richest parts OF the United States,
though it is largely owned by Dutchmen.
And the man who is managing II told
me, In his terse, matter-of-fact way.
that. as a barefooted boy, he ran around
in the village OF Sylvania, Ohio-even
! now a place of only 1000 inhabitants
dressed in a hickory shirt and a pair OF
cotton pants.
Later, another boy. Arthur Edward
Stilwell. printed stationery and calling
cards for small merchants and their
clerks in Rochester. n. Y. Some day"
he said to himself. as he has since con-
fessed, I'm build a railroad" 10. Ed
son, however. only dreamed OF being a
telegraph operator.
StilweIl. at the age of twenty, was
proprietor OF a printing shop in Kan
sas City. Then he was a life insurance
agent in Chicago. Sitting in his. room.
with a map Of the United states on the
table in front of him, he drew a straight
Mexico. He had laid out the course OF
the road he had promised to build as a
boy. 1t is said that Stilwell~ had made
and saved a few thousand dollars when
he met an Amsterdam banker on a rail-
way train somewhere in this country. He
had learned to meet and talk with men
while trying to sell them life insurance.
How StIIweII Lost the Road.
with potbip1 mora suhst,p,faI th,p ,
map picturing an imaginary railroad but
with a gift of words and a talent for
description that were irresistible, Still
well persuaded the Dutch banker, who
in turn inocculated other Dutch bankers
and capitalists. and the line was built
1t was called the Kansas City. Pittsburgh
and Gulf Railroad.
Pullman, the sleeping-car multimillion-
aire and monopolist. was also a believer
in Stilwell- He had promised S5,OO0,OOO
for cars and engines. But his death and
the financial panic. which began in 1898,
caused a reorganization of the railroad
and StiIwell and the old name Of the
line vanished in the subsequent progress
sion of events. Stilwell turned next to
the building OF the Kansas City, Mexico
and Orient Railway. whose first survey
was also made with a foot rule and lead
pencil. and which. if ever completed, will
be 1.629 miles in length.
Here Stilwen passes out OF this story
and Edison resppears. He was left IN
Sylvania, back in Ohio. shoeless young
ster in summer. dressed. partially. in a
hickory shirt and a pair OF cotton trous-
ers. sylvsnia. hugging the Michigan
boundary, is on the Lake Shore Railway
Its population when 10. Edison went
around barefooted was about 400 Agri-
culture was the principal industry. There
was a man. also, who owned a dray.
Il got in with the telegraph operator"
Mr.. Edison told me, and did his er-
rands. While the other boys played. l
was intently listening to the tick Of the
sounder. felt that the operator would
The Washington herald., 1914-07-26
E WHO DREAMED A RAILROAD; NOW HE'S A PRESIDENT

the deficits come out Of the public treas
ury.
There are a hundred sound, economic
and political reasons why the national
government shouldn't go into the rail-
road business. Railway men in the past
were not always guided by the highest
standard OF ethics and the same can be
said about politicians. bankers, manu-
facturers and merchants. Agitation
against the railroads was started then.
| The wrongs In the operation OF our trans
| poLtratlon systems have been cured, but
| the agitation continues-goyernment own
ership is the latest form IL has taken.
"A politician will gather a crowd in q
saloon or a back ONCE, fix up a slate
for himself, get into the legislature, and
in a short time laws are on the way
which. II enacted. would bankrupt a per-
fectly solvent corporation The business
man is attending to his own Affairs. the
wage Garner Is attending TO his affairs.
and so IL is a fight between the politician
and the railroad. There was a good rea-
son why railroads used to take hand
in legislative matters.
II think. however. that the attitude
Of the public toward the railroads Is a
great deal more friendly than was the
case formerly. The people desire good
transportation service and they are be-
ginning to understand that service Of the
kind they demand costs a great deal Of
money. not only at the beginning. but
constantly.
Hammered Into the Mud.
"A road-bed. for instance, is never fin-
ished. As fast as ballast is laid down.
heavy trains hammer it into the ground.
1 venture TO say that the broken rock on
the Pennsylvania Railroad is from four
TO six feet deep in places. The rainfall
along our line in Arkansas Is eighty
inches, and most Of II occurs during four
months of the year. 1t is a never-ending
expense. therefore. to keep the tracks
out OF the mud and in a safe and solid
condition.
Then ties have to be renewed. They
last but five years in the Southwest. A
hamlet becomes a good-siZed town and
the old station must be pulled down ami
larger one built. Stations cost from
S. 900 to $1,000 each. The one crossing
in the small village is multiplied into a
dozen or twenty as time goes on and the
tracks OF the railroad must go under or
over the streets. Also rails. engines and
cars wear out and wooden bridges must
be replaced with those made OF iron.
Since the reorganization of the Kansas
City Southern. in 1900. nearly s27.OOo.OOO
has been spent on the right of way and
for stations and rolling stock.
Il have read that agitators seeking
political offices believe the railroads are
piling up wealth and that the gloom OF
railroad men is merely a pretense to fooI
the lawmakers and the public. I am Oh
the inside and know that everything Is
going up in price-labOr. material and so
On-snd that rates are really coming
down and that il the merchants of the
United States had to meet similar con-
ditions they would become bankrupts.
Railroads are building no more ex-
tensions. Great areas in this country are
without means OF transportation. Men
with money will not invest their capital
in enterprises which are continually be-
The Washington herald., 1914-07-26

repairs, he had the work done on the
spot ard II that were not possible. he
had the car set on on a side track.
CLARK was watchful. intelligent and
conscientious and has come to his pres
ent position in life because OF those
qualities. Men in places Of RESPONSE
bility always keep their eyes open so
that they may know whom to promote
when there Is a place higher. up TO be
Inlled. The average worker doesn't
think that is the case. but II is the
fact. Clark once told me something I
have never forgotten.
"If a brakeman. he said. walks TO
the switch to let a train on a siding, or
walks from the switch to the caboose,
after the train has pulled onto the main
track, he is not Of much account. II
he runs. make him a conductor when
there Is a chance"
Mr.. Edson had been division. superin-
tendent Of the Missouri Pacific Railway
and general manager and vice president
OF the Cotton Belt Railroad before the
receivers Of the Kansas City. Pittsburgh
and Gulf line asked him TO take charge
Of the property. The road was reorgan-
lied, Its name changed to the Kansas
City Southern Railway, and in 1905 Mr.
Edison became president OF the company.
Its earnings began to increase imme-
dIately. In 1903 they amounted TO so 800
mile. They are now $1,000 a mile.
1T would be a national calamity" he
said In answer TO a question, were the
government to purchase and then attempt
TO operate our railroads. Salaried men
would continue to run the railroads. no
doubt. and so my opinions on the subject
are not influenced by any fear of find
ing myself out of employment. There
are enough office-hol1ers in the country
already; TO add the names OF LOO, 600
railway men to the pay-rolls of the
nation would be a very dangerous pro-
ceeding.
Furthermore. the service. in my
Judgment. would daeriorate. Public
owenrship, when trieA has failed in
Canada. There. on government controlled
roads. everything drags. What is need
ed in any business Is a man on the
ground who can act without delay and
long consultations. A railway switch.
costing S5.OO0. may open a mine with
a large tonnage OF freight. To refer
such a matter TO Washington and wait
on the slow processes always followed
there. would be both injurious ami
ridiculous. But that is what would
have TO be done.
Keeping Ahead of the sheriff.
There would be a central commission.
/ suppose. and a staff OF sIow-moving
engineers, experts and accountants with
mountains OF red tape. first to unwind
and then to unraveL Meanwhile business
would be at a standstilI and new enter
prises would halt until word would come
from the seat OF government. The whole
country would slow down necessarily
and that would mean loss Of time.
money and efficiency.
1T is hard work now on many roads
to keep ahead OF the sheriff. The officials
of such roads are working day and night
When they are not working they are
liking the floor. l can call their names
L know their problems and their troubles
II the government owned these roads, and
there are a good many Of them, the wor-
rying OF the managers would be over.
they would take matters easier. get the
pace and stride of Washington, and let
The Washington herald., 1914-07-26
By MAY MANTON

No Jag. Design for embroidering Fancy Collar and
Rolled Over Cuffs, including the outline q collar and
cuffs
The scaloped edges designed be padded and
buttonhoed The flower sprays be worked eyelets
sodly, in combination Of the with the
outlined and the dots either eyelets soldly
To pad the scaops, work chain stitch between the
lines, heavier the and lighter the points;
skein Of thread, apply strands the
design keeping within the lines Tack here and there
in COUGHING style and draw the threads together at the
points of the scallops. Buttonhoe closely over the
foundation.
To make the flower sprays eyelets, q thread
round the outline Cut slit engthvise then erosswse
Push the material back the wrong side and work
closely over and over.
To outline, take short stitches keeping the needle
toward the right and work upward
Stamped the best pure Lnsn with ercerIed floss to
WORK IS
New Britain herald., 1914-07-20
REPUBLICANS MAY INVESTIGATE

The report comes from Washington that if the republicans are successful this fall in regaining a majority of the members of congress that they will make an investigation of all the acts of the democratic congress of which there has been any serious dis rute. including some appointments. They hope by this means to stir up enough political opposition to make it unpleasant for the democratic party in the presidential campaign two years from now. The democrats did some Investigating themselves when the re- pt,blicans were routed and some have said that the revelations in reference to certain matters made it annoying for the republicans in the following campaign. They are hopeful of mak- most astute of the prophets do not claim a sufficient number of new members to create even the impress sion that they have much faith in their predictions.
 It is significant that some of those who have been beaten in one of the two last campaigns are anxious to try again because they think that the going will be favorable to them this time; even that sturdy old war horse Uncle Joe" Cannon, closing up to eighty, is in the field and as hopeful as ever, and so is "Cy" ,Sulloway of New Hampshire, one of the big re- publicans of the country, who fell in battle two years ago. The republicans make no secret of their determination to make a hard fight to recover possession of the house this fall be- cause of the standing it will give them for the presidential campaign, al- though there are those who do not see any advantage in such a victory for the reason that with a democratic president they would not be able to accomplish any legislation and would go into the big campaign with a record for not doing anything, which would be handicap instead of a benefit. The progressives are likely to make the republican fight more difficult than some of the leaders are willing to openly admit There is no inclination to discuss that feature of the situation
New Britain herald., 1914-07-20
Pajamas For the Street.
Providence Journal )

At first thought there may seem something startling in the reported introduction of pajamas for street wear by the valiant men of certain Illinois community. Bathing suits in the public highways have been frowned upon in various places, and garments intended for the seclusion of the night are likely to strike the purely artificial sense of decorum as at least two degrees worse than bath ing suits. but is not the Illinois idea fundamentally sound?
 Conventional propriety in the mat ter of wearing apparel as the subject is commonly viewed, seems to he i. based almost wholly upon arbitrary associations of ideas rather than upon tho logical grounds of reason, com mon sense and comfort. We dress according to the artificial require- ments of time, place and circum- stance and in blind obedience to the dictates of remote and unknown ty- rants who by some curious freak of civilization have gained the extraordi- nary privilege of "setting the fash
New Britain herald., 1914-07-20
MIR. RORABACK.

Ine question now before the re- publican party is whether, MT. Rora- back is to gracefully resign his chair n,anship or whether he will have to be eliminated by forceful process It is hoped that he will accept the graceful and gracious way for 1t is tolerably evident that the rank and file of the party in the state will not stand for him as leader longer- Ansonia Sentinel A,...
 MT. Roraback has said that he has no intention of resigning and there is considerable doubt as to whether the forceful process can be applied with success to his case. He made his position pretty plain when ex-Gover- nor Woodruff talked of the advisa- bility of his abdicating for he not only denied all intention of resigning but there was an intimation that he could not be compelled to resign. There is hardly any doubt but that the state committee is with the chair man and if there is to be a vacancy ir that position 1t Is believed that 1t will have to be created voluntarily by. MT. Roraback himself He is an ex4. ceedingly clever political leader, and were 1t not for the admission made by Mr. Mellen that he was the legis- htive agent of the company in this state. fact known before, public at tention would not be attracted to 1t at time when the road is in serious fi- nancitl trouble. causing 1t to as- sume more serious aspect What was a mere suspicion on the part of some before has become reality for all now and that Is a. handicap that Is going to be pretty heavy for MT. Roraback personally or any movement he represents in the coming campaign.
 There has been some talk of a new chairman for the republican commit tee and a New Britain man, George W. Klett, has been mentioned as a. likely candidate for the place, but MT. Klett would hardly favor a. movement to oust the present chair man. It has been intimated that he would quit but he says he won't and If he Is not deposed the democrats will not be without strong issue this fali. That seems to be understood throughout the state. MT. Roraback supphes reason for much of the opposition to the candidacy of Charles W. Comstock for governor on the democratic ticket
New Britain herald., 1914-07-20
D. MCMILLAN lS9-2Ol-2O3 MAIN STREET.

ion." Our apparel is governed by the "sense of propriety" instead of by the sense of the appropriate. --
 Apart from the mental association there really does not seem to be any thing so very shocking about this IT. linos innovation. Pajamas have the supreme warm weather merit of cool ness and from the practical viewpoint the idea has much more to commend 1t as an enhancement of summer time comfort than the recent cam paign of the Anti-Collar league in Paris. Both movements seem to be in the nature of protests against ex- isting fashions, and all revolt of that sort is to be encouraged But of the two, the aims of the Illinois pa1ama squad are the more practical by far. Of course great deal de- bends upon the character of the pa jamas. but that same qualification may be applied to any article of dress designed for public wear.
 In the artistic sense it can scarcely be claimed that paiamas would be any improvement on the present "natty' fashions in mems street dress, but naturally these Illinoisans are moved by practical rather than aes- thetic motives. In any event they may be regarded bold men. and it will be interesting to observe whether they sink into ridiculed ob- scurity or achieve the fame deserved by all true pioneers. For one thing. they suffer by the fact of living in IT. linois. The same radical idea of sartorial reform originating in London or Paris would stand an in l finitely greater chance of attaining an ultimate popularity.
New Britain herald., 1914-07-20
10000 ON TROLLEY CARS.

/ Yesterday was a great day for the htoists and the patrons of the troll .y lines, the cars were pretty we'll fowded from early In the day and ] the local office of the company 1t
 las stated this morning that approx
 hately 2o,000 people were carried on Ilnday in the New Britain cars. A l rges number went over the Plain ] ile and Lazy Lane lines, some going N Compounce and many more going 1n to New, Haven and Savin Rock, he largest crowd of the season being
 resent at the latter resort. Auto Aobiles were numerous on the phntry' roads, those having machines btaining a great deal of pleasure out them. It Is evident that the state preparing to get after the speeders earnest, a number of arrests hav- hg been made by the state police in |outh Windsor. which is something lew for that department, its efforts
 eretofore being in other directions.
 There is no doubt but that there is Feat deal of speeding on the country pads, some of 1t very dangerous. but he law is such now that a car Is not pnsidered going at an excessive rate
 nless it exceeds twenty-five miles an our, providing that other conditions, uch as the width of the street. traf-
 c and such other features as will
 lot make such travel dangerous to
 fe or limb are favorable. so that if he authorities start out after mo- orists with the state police the latter ,ill have an easy time obtaining evil
 ence sufficient to convict.
 The automobile is more common
 n the country roads on Sunday than he horse and carriage; in fact. the alter is an exception nowadays, espe- ially at this time of the year. It is
 ot the Connecticut car alone that is Q be met, but those from other states s we'll. and those which come from.
 utside the state are usually high covered automobiles. There is no
 ne who has a car who does not find inc to operate 1t on Sunday. It is he trolley car that meets the wants
 f the poor man and his family. They
 ould live without it, but they would. miss the pleasures which can be had or q nickel. The trolley companies 'ome in for a great deal of criticism, ut there would be great deal of encountered if the cars
 hould' cease running.
New Britain herald., 1914-07-20
Shade, Trees.
(Norwich Bulletin. )


 Shade trees are a valuable posses sion by every city, every street where permissible and every piece of prop erty where conditions are right. They are appreciated by those who have them and those who do not, but just how much is not fully understood un- til an effort is made to remove them Brooklyn just at the present time is much concerned over the claim that one of its well shaded avenues must lose its trees because the plans for the subway would leave an insufficient amount of soil to support them. Nat urally it doesn't suit and efforts are being made to overcome the difficulty in some manner or other even If the subway has to be constructed at a somewhat lower level. The protest seems likely to accomplish good re- suits. but whether it does or not 1t displays the feeling of the people in regard to shade trees.
 In the city of Philadelphia there has been named within two years a committee from the park commission to take care of the trees within the city streets and they have entered up on commendable campaign to pre- vent the butcherfng of the trees, though they are conducting sys- tematic plan of removing the dead wood and properly trimming them for their improvement. Shade trees add much to the beauty of city and 1t is a commendable effort which is undertaken for their preservation and retention, and it is the city which gives them attention before they are gone which profits
New Britain herald., 1914-07-20
TIMOTHY l.. wooDRUFFes ESTATE

When Timothy l.. Woodruff lived he
 sas popularly supposed to have been
 cry wealthy; he was a politician, not
 very sagacious one either: and there were some people uncharitable enough
 say that whatever recognition was kiven him was because of his money.
 Ie was just such man as the average person would be apt to say was rich.
 1e was one of the best dressers in New York, his raiment being so varied As to be often referred to in the public prints. He was society man; he had camp in the Adirondacks, an apart nent at Sherrys, where things come nigh, and his general mode of living gave the impression that he was very wealthy. When he died this impress sion was not disturbed, but there ks considerable talk about his riches 'wealth has dwindled in amount to hbout $500, ,0O0, which is not any more khan was held by a New Britain Policeman.
 The reason for the disappearance of 'Inuch of the alleged wealth of MT Woodruff is his numerous debts and 'the decline in the value of stocks, a factor which has caused quite 8 Eslump Tn the value of the estates oi |some other people. the estate of one |fcrrrcr Connecticut man having los, |s1G,o a year by reason of the |u,,.n,o in the stock of the New Haver Ea.Irond alone. There are several per. |scns wEosc health has not been goo6 |s.,,cc this stock has been going dowr |aud whose estimated wealth wou't |sfow q decrease if an inventory were tt |Lr nadc at the present time. There |hAs hern no inventory made of the |yaIne of the estate of the late MT Noodrsff because of a hope that bs holding off for while the value ol |ji,.rnerous stocks held by him will in. creasc. Hut at present the report that his great wealth had dwindled down U, *go0.0o0 has boen . grca. surprise so people who thought he WAS worth
 {.
New Britain herald., 1914-07-20

Up al caskatchewan 1t Is so light that they can play ball until 10 o'clock at night. This gives the office Dcy snow and leaves the towns supply Of grandmothers intact. X tWenty-three inning game, such as the Hartford-New Haven contest of few days ago. would not seriously disturb the ability of the players to see the ball, If played upon a Saskatchewan n diam ond.--New London Telegraph.
New Britain herald., 1914-07-20

That Comstock gubernatorial boom gets some publicity. but it's not mak- ing my great progress in spite of the noise the boomers are making. Char ley' may be good fellow, but as d gubernatorial candidate he would be an easy mark for any solid and sub- sta.ntial republican. He couldn't win. and it's doubtful if he could carry either Norwich or New London Rockville Leader.