davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-12-23

The estate of Herman Frasch. who was at one time chief chemist of the Standard oil company and died last May in Paris, has recently been appraised at S5, 56o 573. Mir. Frasch came to this country from Germany a poor boy in 1S6e He became druggists apprentice and after being appointed chief chemist for the Standard oil company was credited with earning more dividends for the comrany than John D. Rockefeller himself One of MT. Fraschs most noteworthy achievements was the discovery of process for min ing sulphur underground by steam and pumping 1t to the surface. His discovery made possible the development of the sulphur beds of Louisiana, which had been practically worthless before. Mir. Frasch was president of the Union Sulphur com pany. which now owns and operates these beds, producing 100000 tons of sulphur a year. Most of his estate consists of se- curities, a great deal of 1t being stock In the Standard oil company and sub sidiary companies. George B. Frasch, son Of Herman Frasch, from whom he had been estranged for years, received only $5o,0o0 of the estate. the bulk of 1t going to his widow
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-12-23
DUST CLOUDS ARMIES MAKE

From London Answers.
 An army on the march along dry roads naturally throws up very heavy dust clouds. To those who haven't been trained one dust cloud looks very much like an- other, but to soldier these dust clouds tell very clear story.
 The dust thrown up by infantry, for example. hangs in low thick cloud. The longer the cloud the more the men under heath it, and a scout can. by this means, make fairly accurate guess of the num- Der of men on the march.
 Cavalry on the march sends up a dust cloud that is much higher and thinner than that of infantry. The most disljnc. tive of these dust clouds however, is that made by wagons and heavy guns. The dust rises in little groups of clouds quite different from the long clouds of cavalry and infantry.
 So even when unable to see the actual cause of the dust, a scout can tell many miles away what kind of force is passing along a road,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-12-23
OUR VILLAGE

B. l.. T., in the Chicago Tribune.
 The engagement of two popular south side young people Is to be heraided this eve. Cupid loves shining Mark, nest paw, J--?
 Irv Bacheller, the celebrated story writer and lecturer, is filling dates round about here, and he and Mrs. Irv have been visiting the Ed Mills in Evanston.
 The R. Newberrys happened to small fire the other night, fortunately no great damage being wrought except that the firemen forgot to wipe their feet going in and out.
 The most thrilling tale of the war we've heard is the one Mrs. Herbert Hammond tells. she having been marooned near the firing line for wlSs.
 Old Bill Byrne says this world is all f1eeting show all right, and everything comes out all right In the last act, but what discourages him is the fear that he ain't going to be on for the last act
 The Fred Stocks had reception in the foyay of orch. hall vest. in honor of the scented to the pop. conductor recherche time was mad.
 Don't forget the talk by John McCutch- con in assembly hall. Fine Arts building. tomorrow eve. Dig up a dollar for the Archey I'd. nursery.
 Our neighbor, Mrs Palmer, is giving a lot of parties these days and we can hardy get to sleep for the noise of the automo- piles.
 The smiling face of Oscar Frances Is seen on the indoor golf links on wab av. he having gone into partnership running the business.
 Fannie zeisler and George Hamlin are back from the e. e., after successful con- certs in N. Y.
 Ye Ed and family are going to eat at the Karl Hacketts tonight and gosh how we dread it. Quite change in the weather as we go to press.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-12-23
The Veracious Correspondents

Martin Marshall, in commenting ir Leslie's Weekly on the incredible dis patches sent from the war zone by newspaper correspondents, sums up the situation quite neatly by saying: Correspondents do not manufacture the absurd and improbable stories they require their papers to pay telegraph tolls on. They are usually quite as honest and truthful as the average man; but they are deficient in the selective faculty"
 The correspondents are told the
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-12-23
National Prohibition Defeated

It was the expected that happened. Yesterday was day of exciting de- bate in the House of Representatives The Hobson resolution proposing a prohibition amendment to the consti- tuition of the United States was de- bated and disposed of. It lacked 59 votes of the two-thirds necessary for it's submission to the states for rati- fication.
 The prohibitionists themselves not only did not claim that they would be able to carry the nationwide measure through the House, but they admitted that the vote for it would be far short. We'll informed observers said it would be decisive, and it was decisive. When the ayes and nays were called the de- feat of the national prohibition meas ure was even more emphatic than even the anti-prohibitionists had hoped for. Oscar w. Underwood made ring ing speech against the Hobson resolu- tion and it unquestionably strength eped the backbone of few of the un- certain members of the House. Un- derwood's convictions are always clear and positive, and his discussion
 
 in upholding his beliefs never fails to have the convincing ring. He is the real leader for the very reason that he votes "his sentiments" regardless of the views of many of his constituents; voting his sentiments because he thinks they are right.
 Had Hobson's nationwide prohibit tion resolution boiled the necessary two-thirds majority it would have been defeated in the Senate. But, for the sake of argument, suppose it had got through the House and the Senate, President Wilson would have vetoed it. But again, suppose for the sake of argument it had passed both houses and received the signature of the President, it could not become law without the ratification of three fourths of the states through their ] iegislatures-36 states.
 Thus it is seen that this country is a long way from national prohibition. It was well, however, that the question was tested in the House of Represen- tatives yesterday. There is nothing like knowing just where we stand on certain questions of large concern.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-12-23
TINKER INSPIRED WAGNER

Richard Wagner in his Autobiography.
 tinker has established himself op. posits our house and stunned my ears all day long with his incessant ham mering. In my disgust at never beipg able to find a detached house protected from every kind of noise, was on tho point of deciding to give up composing altogether until the time when this in- dispensable condition should be ful- filled.
 But it was precisely my rage over the tinker that. in a moment of agita- ton. gave me the theme for Siegfried's . furious outburst against the bungling Mime. played over the childishly quarrelsome Potter theme in c minor to my sister. furinously singing the words at the same time, which made us all laugh SO much that decided to make one more effort. This resulted In my writing down a good part of tho first scene by the time Lisst arrived, October s13 (1956),
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-12-23
Will Not Reduce Wages

The United States Steel corpora ton will not reduce wages. The ex- ecutive committee at a meeting in New York yesterday so decided. Chair man Gary stated that there would probably be some adjustments of wages paid to skilled labor on piece work, depending upon special condi- tions, but after careful consideration of the industrial situation the commit tee reached the conclusion that a gen. eral cut was not necessary at present.
 That decision will be received with rejoicing by the vast army of em- ployes of the Steel corporations sub- sidiary companies. It will affect thou sands of men in the Birmingham dis trict and will be accepted by the en- tire public as the best sort of Christ mas gift.
 A few weeks ago it was thought that the Steel corporation would be forced to make a considerable cut in wages. The business outlook for the near future was then anything but bright; but conditions have been im- proving since the middle of November. Every week marks progress toward re- cOyery and there is now m douht in the minds of industrial leaders as to an era of prosperity just ahead. It is believed that January will witness a great deal of activity in the steel trade.
 The Steel corporation evidently feels that good times are in sight. Al any rate the decision of the commit tee not to reduce wages is as sig uificant as it is cheering.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-12-23
THE BORNEO PIRATES ,1 the Wide World Magazine

ftOn. tlt W ioS VI oIiu MdSd1uS.
 Brunei. Borneo. is one of the strangest cities fin the world. Once the headquar- tcrs of the Borneo pirates, it is a kind of ee stern Venice. being built entirely over the water. This remarkable city is the capital of the state of Brunei. Borneo. All the houses are built over the River Limbang. constructed on slender piles made from the Nibong palm, a wood that ssists the action of water for many years, The inhabitants of Brunei are Ma!ays. Kadayans. Orang- -Buskits. and few Muruts. They earn their living mostly by trading with other tribes in the in- teriCr of Sarawak and British North Bor- neo. Some of them are very skiiful brass workers. and the Brunei women make beautiful cloth, interwoven and embroid- cred with gold thread. Sago is grown in the valleys near by, and small quantity of rice is also raised, In the early part of the nineteenth century Brunei was the rendezvous of the dread Borneo pi- rates. and a market for the slave trade.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-12-23

circle, was known as the district of Keewatin.
 With the exception of smnll attachments of Northwest mounted police, a few scat tered missionaries. and the Hudson Bay company's traders and employees. this vast district is peopled entirely by In- dians of the Cree and Salteaux tribes. and, in the far northern portion, q few. wandering Eskmos and Chippewayans
 This country, in which winter of al- most Arctic severity holds sway for eight months in the year. is network of large lakes, rivers, and smaller streams drain ing into Hudson bay Along most of these nayigable waters, situated from 100 to 250 miles apart, stand the lonely trad ing posts or forts of the Hudson Bay company These forts usually consist of a picketed or stociaded square inclosing a number of log or frame buildings, usu- ing in the center, from which, on special ocea sions, floats the red ensign of the company.
 The staff of the smaller outposts gen orally consists of one white man as of- ncer in charge. with two or three half breed or Indian assistants or dog-drivers. As in most cases these posts 1re situated in virgin wilderness, far from civiliza- ton, the trader may not sec a fellow white man for six months at a stretch, and has only the society afforded by his half-breed servants.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-12-23
INV THE WRONG PLACE
the Detroit Free Press.

From. the Detroit Free Press.
 William Dean Howells, at dinner in oBston, said of modern American letters;
 "The average popular novel shows, on the novehsts part. an ignorance of his trade which reminds me of a New Eng land clerk.
 Tn New England village l entered the Main street department store one afternoon and said to the clerk at the book counter:
 "''Let me have. please. the Letters of Charles lamb"
 'Postoffice right across the street. Mir Lamb, said the clerk with a polite, brisk smile"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-12-23
REJECTED
By Coventry Patmore.
 sRerho na she's dancinR SOmeKhe

Perhaps she's dancing somewhere now < The thoughts of light and music wake sharp Jealousies that grow and grow Ttik, ,oliencs and the darkness acre. HS Hees her step, so proud and gay.
 Whici,k crsslle sDake. foretoid despair; Thus didA sha look, on such a day
 And spch the fashion of her hair; Arc thus sbe stood. when. stopping low,
 He took the bramble from her dress, And thus she laughed and talked, whose
 "No' ,, 4
 Wac sNester. than another's Yes" 2 He feeds on thoughts that most deject;
 He impudentiy feigns her charms, So reverenced In his own respect,
 laspeo dreadfullyN by other arms: And turns, and puts his brows that ache,
 Against the pillow where tis cold; if only now his heart would break
 Rnt. oh. how much . heart can holdI
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-12-23
From the Boston Globe.

rioAt the bostOn Globe.
 To friend (highly cultivated) who
 congratulated himself on having = entirely abandoned the habit of perusing newspapers (for one reason be- cause their English was bad) Mir Philip Gilbert Hamerton sent letter saying:
 T believe that your resolution is un- wise, and that you will find 1t untenable." |"
 Mir. Hamerton thought that the loss was greater than the gain whenever Elmer sons suggestion was adopted and the amount of ones reading from day to day was transferred from the news sheets to the standard authors.
 The writers of Queen Anne's time could educate an Englishman of Queen Anne's time. but they could only partially edu- cate an Engiishman of Queen Victoria s time. The mind is like a merchant s ledger 1t requires to be continually posted up to the latest date. Even the last tele- gram may have upset some venerable theory that has been received as infalli- ble for ages"
 Many Journalists in all parts of the civil ized world, remarked the British essayist in the same nissive, write much and well in circumstances often unfavorable to literary composition.
 Which brings us right back to the ques- tion of grammar and style.
 Newspapers contain the best English and the worst English.
 So do books.
 Neither language nor ideas are improved in the least by being bound in leather, the views of some persons, afflicted with the narrowness of a certain intellectual aristocracy. to the contrary notwithstand- ing.
 "Whatever faults the pedantic critic
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-12-23
Automobile Speed and school Children

"Automobiles should be required to slow down when approaching school buildings" said an observant citizen.
 Until recently my home was fin New York In and around that city signs are suspended near all schoolhouses and every time chauffeur or the driver of a car sees one of these school signs he goes slow. We should certainly have the same law here, It is wonder to ne that many children are not killed by fast running automobiles. For the pro- tection of the little ones we should have signboards near the school buildings and slow down ordinance sorictly enforced"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-12-23
WAR ECHOES

New York Herald: Establishment of a. British proteotorate over Egypt, with q Sultan of Egypt instead of the Khedive evolution. So far as administration goes this means practically no change, but 1t does mean that the fiction of Turkish suzerainty is gone, probably forever. No other solution of the Egypt problem was possible from the moment the now de- throned Khedive cast his lot with the Sultan of Turkey.
 It remains to be seen how severance of the flimsy tie with Stamboul will be taken in Egypt. At regular intervals Berlin has been sending out reports of serious uprisings of Egyptian tribesmen but so far none of these has materialized. The chances seem against their material izing.
 As German prophecy has failed. so has German diplomacy failed markedly in the side issues intrusted to it, as in It's hand ling of the greater duty which was, &C., cording to the rules laid down by Bis- nlarok, to prevent a coalition of Euro pean powers against Germany. It's Irish insurrection is ,discoverable only on this side of the Atlantic; of its India uprising. the. only tangible results are Gurkhas and Sikhs fighting under the British flag in France and Belgium; instead of rush. ing the northwest boundary, the Ameer of Afghanistan has pledged his friendship to the British Raj; the Boer revolt died he is likely to prove more of a liability than an asset
 Springfield Republican: December 20 is the day on which the vistuia at War saw, on the average, begins to be ice- bound, the ice breaking up about March 10. Petrograd has had an exceptionally severe frost if it has extended into Poland the river should soon permit armies to cross, and the effect of this on the campaign would be considerable. The Vistula has been the pons asinorum of the Russian invasion of Germany, and while the strategists on both sides have shown skill in dealing with the peculiar problems offered by its sinuous course, it has been worth good many army corps to the Germans, and has therefore pre- vented the superior force of the Russian army from being brought to bear. To invade Germany it is necessary to hold securely the Hanks in East Prussia and Galicia while crossing the vistula in Poland and pressing forward to the frontier. This means that the Russian center must be on the left bank while both right and left wings are on the right hank, and the curving stream is serious obstacle to efficient co-operation. To suc- ceed the Russians must be successful in all three fields simultaneously, and three times an apparent success has been dis concerted by bold drive at one point. At present they are doing well in East Prussia and in Poland on the right bank of the Vistula, but the stroke at Warsaw has deranged the campaign as whole A foot or two of ice would simplify the problem considerably for whichever side takes the offensive.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-12-23

MISLEADING THE PUBLIC.
 ''If announce myself a candidate for this office, will the voters rally around me?" asked the pompous citizen.
 That depends" answered his astute adviser, "upon whether or not you are willing to promise at least 10 times more than you will ever be able to fuifill.'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-12-23
THE MANTLE OF UNDERWOOD

THE OF W OOD From the Memphis Commcrcial-Appeal.
 In few more weeks, after years of faithful service to the government, Oscar Underwood will leave the House of Rep resentatives and take his seat in the Senate
 He will be welcomed in tie upper house, but will be sadly missed in the lower one.
 The place of Oscar Underwood is not one that can be easily filled The demo- cratic majority in the next Congress has been greatly reduced. There is still 8 working majority, but it will have to be discreetly handled if it is to be made tate a disaster to the party hopes and plans.
 Oscar Underwood is something of a diplomat. He was and still is an admira- ble handler of men. He gains his end without making too vigorous effort to obtain 1t. There is something suitable in his methods. This is why his influence will be sadly missed. Speaker Clark will feel his loss. Tn Underwood he had d loyal supporter. q leader worthy of his
 
 steel.
 Underwood goes to the Senate. His fu- ture will be an interesting one. Armed with years of experience in the House, familiar with the intricate workings of federal legislation and master of the po- llticai arts which make a representative or a senator effective. he may be ex- pected to be potent factor in the future deliberations of the Senate.
 In the meantime the question is con- tinually asked, who wifi wear the mantfa of Underwood?
 According to the nature of things. the senior member of the finsncc ways and means committee will be the proper sue cessor, and the senior democratic member is Congressman Claude Kitchin of North Carolina;
 Congressman Ixitchin is a good man, q sincere democrat and loyal to his party There might have been a spirited con- test between Kitchin and our own Con- eressman F'inis Garrett had MT. Garrett decided to make the race. He was talked about, and would have received strong support had he begun an early campaign Garrett. by reason of length of service and by industry and ability. is promi- l Isently placed on important committees, and later on, if the democrats are for. l tunats in holding the lowor house, hs may have his term of leadership. J
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-12-23
stockhoIder. widely Distributed

"On December the Pennsylvania rail- road had s1,159 stockholders-the largest number In its history-an increase of 3ssS over the same date last year. said R. B. Rox of that company.
 Instead of showing a decrease in the number of its foreign shareholders as compared to December 1, 1913, the com pilation shows that on December 1, 1914, It had 11.sS2, or an increase of Sss over the holders on December l. 1913. Thirty one thousand one hundred and eighty-six. more than one-third of all the Pennsyl- vania railroads stockholders are citi- zens of Pennsylvania. The remainder of the company's stocks are distributed as follows: New York. 15.545; New England. 165ss; scattered, 16.oO7 Of the total num- Der of shareholders 4s,s1a or 4s17 per cent. are women" t5
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-12-23
ALABAMA PRESS

Collnsville Courier: What representa- tive in the next session of the legislature will introduce a bill to tax all church
 property and sectarian schools just the same as other property?
 Gadsden Journal We are with Oscar
 Underwood on the proposition of giving
 the members of the house an opportunity
 to register their votes on the matter of
 rational prohibition. True, the measure
 many not secure the necessary two-thirds vote, but it will serve to put the legis-
 lators on record. And that is what the
 American people are waiting to see. Lineville Headlight: It will not re- quire submarines to sink some of the c. o. P. presidential booms now being launched. Most of them will sink of their
 own weight.
 Tuscaloosa News: Evidence that pros-
 perty is coming and coming fast Is found
 in the announcement from the Associated
 Advertising clubs of the world that ad-
 vertising is increasing rapidly. Huntsville Times: Retrenchinent. That s the economic word prevailing both at the head of the national and state govern ments. But what about the increase of taxation from many sources? The tax rayers fail to appreciate the nonharmoni- zation.
 Franklin County Times: I would like
 most sincerely to reprint the page article in Sundays Age-Herald explaining and glorifying the birthday of Alabama, Its a delightful story and appeals to the loyalty and affections of this great state. l am afraid that the younger people do
 not fully realize and appreciate the beau- ties of sentiment expressed when the old order of things prevailed. Everything seems to be commercialized, even to the breath we draw and the number of heart | beats to the minute. All we can do is | to cherish the old legends in the inner most recesses of our hearts, waiting for the end.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-12-23
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
New Hank at Ashland

c. H. Lapsley of the state bank depart ment at Montgomery arrived in Birnling- ham last night and Is registered at the Tutwiler. He will remain here until Christ- mas
 MT. Lapsley was at Ashland yesterday, where he installed a new bank-the Farm CTS State bank--of which G. c. Cusick is the president. It has a capital of s15.000 and starts out with good promise.
 Ashland, the official seat of Clay coun- ty. is very thriving mountain town-one of the best towns in the state" said MT. Lapsley. "It is on a seven-mle branch of the Atlanta, Birmingham and Atlantic road. Before it had railroad connection Ashland was considered inaccessible, but even then it was a good, solid town.'
 MT. Lapsley said that business condi- tions at Montgomery and at Selma. his home town, while affected by the low cot ton market were fairly prosperous at the present time. The business situation throughout Alabama was improving stead fly, he said a
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-12-23
LAND OF THH NORTH WIND

P. H. Goodsell. in the Wide World Mags-
 zine.
 Though much is written about Western Canada nowadays, one hears very little ot the vast northern wastes of that do- minion. where the conditions of life vary but little from what they were a century ago.
 Until very recent years the great wilder ness of swamp and forest stretching from the head of Lake Winnipeg east to Hud- son bay, and northeriy to the Arctic