davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1914-10-11
FAMOUS sIEGES.
Fortified Towns That Have Held Out
Against Big Odds.

From Tt-Bits.
The Franco-Prussian war of lS70-7l
was remarkable for its sieges. Bazaine
held out at Metz against the Germans
for nearly two months, and finally sur
rendered with 5000 officers and 173,00O
men. For this he had to submit to
court-martial and was sentenced to
twenty years Imprisonment. After
ward came the siege of Paris, which
lasted six months. Thousands of shells
were rained on the city every day by
the Germans, and no fewer than 10000
of the inha abitants succumbed to dis
ease and hunger.
That lengthy seges are quite pos
sible, even in these days of huge guns,
is illustrated by Chukri Pasha's gal
liant defense of Adrianople- last year
for 155 days Then there was the com
paratively recent great siege of Port
Arthur in the Russo Japanese war in
1904-05, which finally capitulated after
being blockaded by Admiral Togo for
210 days. The name of Gen. Stoessel
will rank with those of the greatest
soldiers of modern times.
In Ottoman and Russian military his
tory there has never been a siege like
that of Plevna in 1877, when Osman
Pasha defied the Russians for 144 days.
and finally surrendered December 10,
with 10000 men and 100 guns, owing to
provisions and ammunition running
short. In the same year kars, long
the bulwark of the Ottoman empire in
Asia, was stormed by the Russians
after a siege of five months. Twenty
two years earlier the fortress had been
brilliantly defended for eight months
against the Russians by the Turks un.
der Gen. Williams, who had but $4,000
men against $4,000.
Even these sieges, however. are some-
what insignificant when compared with
some others. The longest siege 'oc-
CURED in the American civil war.
when the Confederates defended the
town of Richmond for 1,4s5 days., or
just over four years. Sebastopol, In
the Crimean war. held out for eleven
months, while Gen. Gordon defended
Khartum against the Soudanese for
800 days. The sieges of Ladysmith.
Kimberley and Mafeking, in the South
war. lasted 120, 123 and 261
days. respectively.
There is probably, however, no siege
which Britishers like to read about so
much as that carried out by France and
Spain in their endeavors to carry the
Rock of Gibraltar, 1888. Altogether
the siege lasted nearly four years. and.
as the world knows. resulted in
complete triumph of British arms, in
spite of the fact that the enemy num-
bered 10000 to 10000 men, while the
defenders could only muster 1000.
Evening star., 1914-10-11
Colors of Heligoland.
,m the London Chronicle.

From the London Chronicle.
Should any Heligolanders find their
way to this country during the war
they will be surprised to find com.
bination of their national colors-red.
green and white-adorning the little
army of the National Union of Woman
Suffrage societies. 1t is true that not
all the $4,000 members of this organi-
zation are demonstrative enough to
wear their gay buttons and ribbons
every day. But on public and process
sional occasions the red. green ana
white favors make a brave show,
the Londoner in Hyde Park Sund,
is well aware. The Helig
landers derive their ribbon from
natural coloring Of their island hom---
the green of the land, the red of the
rock and the white of the strand.
Evening star., 1914-10-11
new YORK PRODUCE.
NEW YORK. October 1o.-Flour
Steady

NEW YORK. October 1o.-Flour-
Steady.
Buckwheat fiour-Quiet.
Buckwheat-Quiet
Cornmeal-Steady.
Rye-Steady
Barley-Steady.
~, Wheat-spot steady: No. 2 red. 1.1oA;
No; hard, 1:osk: No. / northern Du..
luth. 1.11N; No. l northern Manitoba.
1.12A nominal c. /. t. Buffalo Futures
were without transactions December.
1.1sA: May. 1.24.
Corn-.spot quiet; No. yellow, 81
nominal to arrive; Argentine strictly
prime. so delivered.
Oats-Spot quiet.
Hay-Steady.
Hops-Quiet.
Hides-Steady.
Leather-Firm.
Pork-Steady
Beef-Ffrm.
Lard-stronger: middle west, 1o.1oa
1870: rehned stronger: continent, 100:
south America, 11.40; compound quiet.
Tallow-Steady.
Wool-Steady.
Rosin-Quiet
Turpentine-Steady.
Rice-Steady.
Molasses-Steady.
Evening star., 1914-10-11
Houses Of Mud.

Most of the ordinary houses of Az
ghanistan are constructed Of sun-bak.
ed mud brick. The ordinary building
method is to fix firmly in the ground
some poles. on which complete wood
en- skeleton OF walls, doorways, CELL
ines and roof screens Is formed. The
wall interstices are then filled with
sun-baked brick. Upon the poles
placed rs -rafters long rush. mats are
spread. and over them about six inches
Of mud ID smoothly laid, forming q
roof into which sun-dry bits Of hol-
lowed wood are nxed by way q rain
spouts.
Evening star., 1914-10-11
TREASURY Statement.

The condition Of the United States
Treasury at the beginning of business.
October 8, was:
Net balance in general fund. $1os.
731. $50.
Total payments, October Z, $2.260,527.
The deficit this fiscal year is $31,526.-
4S1 against a deficit Of $9.521 ,6S5 last
year. exclusive of Panamt canal and
public debt transactions.
Evening star., 1914-10-11
COFFEE MARKET.

NEW YORK. October 1o.-rhe coffee
exchange was not open today, so that
there were no official cables from bra
Eli, and no meeting Of the committee
on liquidation. Cost and freight offers
tinued very quiet and the local spot
market was nominally UNCHANGED at
eA for Rio Is. and 10k for Santos AZ.
Evening star., 1914-10-11

1881 per cent; Rhode Island, 1913 per
cent; Connecticut, 17.19 per cent. :.
Other states reporting show: Illinois,
Jersey. 1854 per cent; Delaware, 1884
per cent; Minnesota, 1888 per cent, and
Utah. 1896 per cent.
Evening star., 1914-10-11
DRY GOODS MARKET.

NEW YORK, October 1o,-Cotton 1oods
were steady and quiet today. Yarns were
quiet. Further heavy orders for knit
goods for foreign shipment were report
ed. Silks were dull. Linens were Arm
Burlaps were easier.
Evening star., 1914-10-11
S AND SO MONEY
ONE increase in business in New Eng

some increase in business in New Eng
land.
The United States Steel Corpora
tion's September statement revealed
the contraction in business last month
Shipments exceeded new orders by
about $4,000 tons per day, allowing for
cancellations of $4,000 tons. 1t is i'm
dicated that the rolled products out
put was $4,000 tons, and that orders
were about 5000 tons Unified ton.
mage was reduced 425, ,664 tons
Evening star., 1914-10-11
Pig Iron Reduction.

The output of pig iron was reduced
over 100000 tons in September as COM
pared with August. Concessions of
25 to 50 cents per ton were made by
furnaces at Buffalo. in eastern Penn
sylvania and in Virginia. There was
Evening star., 1914-10-11
General Conditions.

Investment brokers report good sales
of bonds at slight concessions from the
closing prices of July 80. Bargain hunt
ers are plentiful in Wall street, but find
it hard to get reliable quotations in many
cases. They are asked to submit bids
and deposit the prices. and they COM
plain that they cannot get offers. SO they
are kept in the dark about the true mar
ket value of securities. Taking down the
bars has reawakened public interest and
trading on the Broad street curb is i'm
proving, though many members OF the
Curb Association object strongly to the
close oversight Of the committee in charge
of the trading. This revival Of trading
and Of interest in it has naturally helped
the curbstone brokers in the New street
ssgutter market" They quote prices
openly, though some Of them do not pay
real money or deliver real stocks when
their offers are accepted. Many outside
quoting New street prices for most Of
the active stocks, and almost every big
commission house with stock exchange
membership keeps in close touch with this
the prices quoted in New street Old
time bucket shop operators are becoming
busy in New street and say that they will
keep that outside market going after the
stock exchange reopens because there is
money in it; which means probably that
an attempt will be made to revive the
bucket shop game in slightly changed
form.
Our foreign trade balance is being ac-
cumulated mainly through exports of
wheat and flour, which have achieved
record proportions. With the help OF
steadily growing movement to Eu-
rope of manufactures there Is reason
to believe that before long the large
total against us will have been over
come. OF course, the main factor in
creating foreign exchange credit in the
United States at this season of the
year is usually the demand for foreign
spinners for our cotton. The greatly
lessened call for the staple this year
has kept the exports to date down to
about 12h per cent Of the amount sent
out a year ago. Even with many OF
the cotton manufacturing plants kept
idle by their location in the war zone
and with German spinners cut OF from
our supply, it is still probable that the
export movement of cotton will as
sumo somewhat large proportions as
stocks of cotton goods abroad disap-
pear The Agricultural Departments s
report as of September Is gives prom
ise Of a very large yield Of cotton this
year, which may reach $780, 900 bales.
Such a crop would prove second In
size only to that in 1911, and In Or
dinary times it would mean great pros
perity for the south. A determined ef-
| fort is being made by planters and
Evening star., 1914-10-11

$50 you are getting married. Georger'
yes; I were prayed fer the third
tonne Sunday"
Evening star., 1914-10-11
Steel Orders Are Scarce.

Buying Of rolled steel products this
week by domestic manufacturers was
without improvement, there being few
funds available for railroad equipment
and for manufacturing plant extern
sions. The only noteworthy orders
placed by the railroads were $4,000 tons
of rails for the Southern Pacific, $4,000
tons for the Delaware, Lackawana and
Western and 900 tons of structural
steel for a viaduct for the Southern
railway.
Fabricating shops reported orders for
only 5000 tons of structural shapes for
bridges, commercial buildings. etc.
Contracts for about $4,000 tons addi-
tiona1 are pending in the eastern ter
ritory.
Bids were received by the United
States government for about 10000
tons of side plates and about $4,000
tons of armor plate for battleship con-
struction. There was less buying of
rolled steel products generally, and
prices of bars. plates and shapes were
again about 81 per ton lower. In the
export field orders were placed for
wire rods, steel skelp. barbed wire and
galvanized sheets amounting to about
10000 tons. The largest were from
Great Britain.
Evening star., 1914-10-11
Volume Of Interest Payments.

Interest payments Of $4,000, 900 COM
pare with $7s.50o,o00 in October Of
1918. and in addition thereto might be
mentioned the fact that New York city
will distribute during the month the
sum OF $15.000,000 for the liquidation
of maturing revenue bonds. This
amount would be substantially in
creased we're it not for the fact that
the International Mercantile Marine
Company, lowing to the unsettled con-
dition of its business during the wal"
had ruled to defer. for the present. the
interest on $52,750, 900 four and one-half
bonds Of 1902.
Bond and note issues Of the leading
railroad and industrial corporations
maturing in October, according to a
reliable computation, aggregate $20,.
44s.ooo. as compared with il2,oss,oo
the previous month and $1S. S.433, 900 in
October, 1913. The maturing indebted
ness of railroad companies for October
amounts to $12,1s3.00 900, leaving a bal
ance of $8,265,000 for industrial con-
! The maturities for October compare
with similar figures for the previous
month and for October OF last year
az follows:
Evening star., 1914-10-11
t.,s $40, a., 900 81, ,oss, 900 SIS. 4as. 900
Reserve Bank Progress.

Those who have been inclined to take
a pessimistic view of the new federal
reserve system in its relation to present
financial difficulties should be greatly re-
lieved by the latest advices from WASH
ington announcing the reserve boards
selection for class c directors and fx-
ing November as the probable date
Of operation. The new system will be
ushered in at the most opportune time
to demonstrate its own usefulness. ana
it is to be hoped that it will measure up
to its expectations. One thing is sure
and that is that the personnel of the local
boards Of directors are such as to COM
mand the highest respect and esteem
Of the banking and business community
to which they are assigned. and after
all it is men. and not methods. that
count in such important matters. One
Of the important changes to be intro
duced by the federal reserve system will
be the reduction of the legal rate Of re-
serve for national banks in reserve cities
from 25 to 18 per cent. This will mean
an increase Of per cent In the available
working assets" Of the national banks
in the monetary centers and AFFORD much
relief which cannot now be given by the
banking houses.
Evening star., 1914-10-11
F|NANC|ERS MEET
GREAT PROBLEMS
International UpheavaI At
tends Quarterly Interest
and Dividend Period.
NO Benefit TO THE U. S.
IN FOREIGN MORATORIA
Statement of Bond and Note Issues
Of Leading Railroads and In
dustrial Corporations.

NEW YORK. October 1o.-Perhaps
never in the history of this country has
the quarterly interest and dividend
period been attended with such an up
heaval in the international money mar
kets. With the European financial mar
kets In utter collapse and with American
hnanciers graphing with the biggest
problems that have confronted them in
many a day. the disbursement period has
added but one more burden to an already
overworked financial mechanism The
moratoria which exist in the foreign
centers have automatically taken care of
foreign maturities. but European holders
Of American securities do not. of course
extend such conditions to our notes. We
must pay. and pay in full. So effective,
however, has been the underlying work Of
American bankers, both in the pIedrinR
OF their gold resources and in the estab-
fishing of credits, that Euronean in
vestors have refrained from uneasiness
ana american investors have been glad
70 reinvest In what they feel to be bar
gam day securities. Thus while dis
tha nulsement day has always necessitated
tne Dulid1ng up of a special cash reserve
oy ene banking institutions. it has been
proven time after time that but little
casn was needed to effect these pay
A1eass' SINCE most OF the money returned
70 the normal channels of Investments
me total October dividend and in
terest disbursements amount to over
sioO:ooO,0O0, represented by $7S,500000
In dividends and $S1.S0O,O0 in interest
Obligations The stockholders of rail-
road stocks received $25, ,00O, 900 in divi-
dends. in industrial corporations S46,-
oO0,ooO, and In street railways $780,
600. There is falling off of So, 900
in dividends compared with the same
month last year, but this Is accounted
for in the passing of the quarterly
dividends by a number Of railroad cor
porations, notably the New Haven.
Evening star., 1914-10-11

Moline Plow and International Har-
vester Company Of New Jersey con-
tinue to pay dividends on both issues
Of stock.
Evening star., 1914-10-11
Banks Are Making Loans.

Domestic money conditions are dis
tinctly improved. Rates have relaxed
and interior banks lend more freely
and are buying some bonds and notes.
The local monetary condition also
continues toward betterment with a
steady reduction in the cash reserve
deficit. This weeks bank statement
showed a cash gain much below gen.
eral estimates. but another large loan
contraction reduced that item by over
$4,000, 900 in the past fortnight. Lat
est developments from the European
theater exercised a depressing inf1u-
ence on the London market, particu-
larly in Russian issues. At this center
the news had the effect of creating
greater firmness in exchange on Ber-
lin.
Evening star., 1914-10-11
Millions Non-Productive.

$eS'ooo'ooo of harvesting machinery
stock since the war began leaves near
v S1zo'ooo.o0O of such capital paying
no return to its owners. This takes
into account only the larger companies
In which there is a public interest.
the three harvester issues which
have recently swelled the ranks of de-
ferred dividends are $40,000.O00 Inter-
national Harvester Corporation COM
mon. 31.600.000 Hart-Parr preferred
ana $13.170,600 EmerSon-Brantingh
preferred. The list Of unproductivo
Evening star., 1914-10-11
DEMAND IN EUROPE
|SALLFOR CASH
No Signs of Let-Up in the
Pressure for Collection
of Maturities.
WEEK SHOWS A FURTHER
SLUMP IN STEEL ORDERS
Railroads Looking to interstate
Commerce Commission for Re-
lief Of Present Troubles.

NEW YORK. October 1o.-The bur-
den Of the country's present foreign
Indebtedness was indicated by the
weeks advance in exchange rates in
the face of supplies furnished by the
hundred million dollar gold pool.
Large maturities of ninety-day bills
put out in July, when money was easy
in London. were a factor. Cotton ex-
ports expanded materially and grain
exports continued heavy. Imports at
New York also seem to be well main
tanned.
Action of the exchange market in
dicates plainly that foreign creditors
will press for immediate payment of
all available maturities, which will be
heavy for months to come. An open
market will be judged unfeasible so
long as this condition persists.
Evening star., 1914-10-11
Completed Returns.

Returns from only twenty states, the
territory of Hawaii and the bank at
Georgetown, D. c., are SO far COM
piled and made public. Hawaii, with
33.o3 per cent reserves. shows the great
est excess over the legal Is per cent,
but Hawaiian reserves are always
high. The national bank at George
town. D. c., shows reserves Of 1853
per cent, a considerable falling of from
a recent condition
Reserves by states in nine common
wealths Of the south which have re-
ported range from 1926 per cent for
Georgia banks to 1858 per cent for the
banks of South Carolina. South Caro-
lima Is the only one of the entire twenty
states compiled that shows reserve less
than Is required by law.
Maryland reserves are 1928 per cent.
with Virginia reserves at 1924 per
cent. West Virginia has reserves Of
1886 per cent. In other southern states
the reserve percentages are: Florida,
1886 per cent: Tennessee, 1888 per
cent; Mississippi, 1885 per cent; Loufsi-
ana, 1922 per cent
lQ New England, of the states whose
reports are compiled. the showing 10 as
follows: Maine, 1913 per cent: New
Hampshire. 1850 per cent: Vermont,
Evening star., 1914-10-11
End Is Not in Sight.

The difficulty must grow while war
continues New outlay in enterprise
is at a stand.
United States Steers September de-
crease of 425,000 tons in untitled ton
mage finds sequence in further contrac-
tfon in October orders and in cancella-
tions: Copper is pressed for sale at
the lowest price in almost thirteen
years. On the other hand, demand for
ments increase in corn crop estimate
did not interrupt the advance in price.
september anthracite tonnage also
mace record. The condition of rail-
road properties would suffer, it is said.
from long continuance of current econ
omies. and advance in freight rates at
the coming hearing by the interstate
relief.
Evening star., 1914-10-11

and mutual understanding which grow
up through personal relations. The
friendship of daily business transact
tions and working understanding
must be promoted. II we rightfully
win the confidence of our neighbors IL,
Latin America they will trade with us,
ana In trading with US they will be
willing to conform to a large extent to
our methods, as we, to q large extent
must conform to theirs. There will be
q common ground of mutual advantage
upon which we can meet, and on this
common ground the prominence of dol
lar exchange will constantly increase
Economy and efficiency will be deyel-
oped by means of the branch banks
The parent bank in the United States
knows and deals directly with the
merchants here. The branch banks in
= foreign city viii know the merchants
there. The merchant from the United
States going to South America will
make his quotations in pesos, or such
other monetary unit as may exist in
the particular country. Both sides OF
the transaction, through the creation
of better understanding and more thor
ough knowledge, brought about by this
hesitancy about making financial set
Elements directly. The branch bank in
South America will have, through its
credit with the parent bank, unlimited
exchange to sell. The parent bank will
itself be able to sell practically un-
transactions of bankers can be greatly
expedited by cable transfers when
ever 1t Is of advantage to do SO. With
2 constantly increasing Interchange
disparities in prices should be elimi-
mated. A service should be developed
amity."
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-04-30
OPERA IN ENGLISH

The first to successfu u11y produce standard grand operas in English was Carl August Nicholas Rosa, a German musician, who died in Paris a guar ter of century ago to-day, April 30, 1sss- Rosa was born in Hamburg in 1s4s and was educated at the Leipsic Conservatory. He became one of the greatest vio1inists of his time. and traveled all over England and gAmeri- ca In 1869 Rosa and his wife, Flu phrosyne Parepa Rosa, a noted singer, organized an English opera company which was we'll received in England and made three American tours. Mime. Rosa, who was a native of Edinburgh, died in 1874. After the death Of his wife and partner Rosa continued in English opera with a large measure of success, and, besides the standard op- eras introduced many new pieces to London. The first important English opera was John Gays .aThe Beggar's Opera satire against the govern
 nent of Sir Robert Walpo1e. which had 2 rum Of sixty-three nights in London in 1727. and was performed in New York in 175o. After the rev- olution English opera had q fltful ex- istence in New York. Philadelphia. Baltimore and Charleston. The first
 ~ distinctive American opera was John Howard Payne's .clari, the Maid of Milan, [ which was produced in 1928 and contained the immortal Home. Sweet Home.
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-04-30
SELECTING POSTMASTERS IS THE
 TOUGHEST JOB A CONGRESSMAN HAS

~ NE OF THE difficulties about a post office 0 is that it usually wont go round. One 9f the difficulties attached to 8 job in congress is that Of selecting one postmaster in q town from several candi datesin the same town, all of whom are usually pretty decent sort ofsmeh. The congressm labors under a certain handi- - cap in making sselection, that is not laid upon the plain citizens who und ertaz e to name post masters for him. He is under an oath to select his man according to his best Judgment. This prevents him, if he, is worth the powder to blow him up, from turning his discretion over to a political committee, or group of politicians to be exercised for him. A congressman is not or at least should not be a mere megaphone through which other people deliver orders and offices. ,.s
 Congressman Donovan doesn't intend to be that kind of 3 congressmaI and this he very promptly and properly said to aAcommittee of indignant fellow citizens of South Norwalk the other evening who had assembled to protest against the selection of Andrew Leary for the one postmastership in that community
 It is difficult to find any reasonable objec- ton, at this distance, to MT. Leary. Hesisa bus mess man of standing, man of fine mind and excellent ability His honesty isn't attack ed, and everybody admits that he will make an efficient postnaste r.
 The anger directed against him seems to be based upon the claim that he was once Green backer, and upon time, Populist. Those things do not appear serious charges. Green paekers ana Populsts W7Fes as a FlIIesa 9feIty honest serious minded men, wi tn very strong ideas of duty, and powerfully moved by con science.
 In the whole there ss ems reason to suppose that Mir. Learys stock will be faised rather than depressed by these aceus sations-I is almost equivalent, when such charges are made against n man. to putting on him the recommendation. Here is politician who is not q naercenary, or a self f-seeker.
 Probably those men who assembled to speak unxindly of MT. Leary, do not feel as bad- Iy as they did at first By this time they have thought it over, and have probably reached the conclusion that the congressman from South Norwalk is a pretty good judge of men and not likely to pick an inferior postmaster for his own home town.
 There isn't the least doubt but MT. Leary will be duly confirmed in the senate with the approval of most of his fellow citizens and he ought to be.