davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-31
From the New York Sun

From the New York Sun.
 - F the elaborateness of the New Year s
 Eve celebration in New York's hotels
 and restaurants is to be taken as an indication of abundance of money and of general prosperity. then good times have arrived.
 That, at least, is the opinion of hotel and restaurant proprietors. who have not been so besieged in years. they say, for table bookings and supper accom- modation. They think that the risins stock market has something to do with the rush to obtain reservations for merry making, but they assume also that there is a good deal of general prosperity and uplift in business in this city that is more substantial and significant than the Wall street feature.
 However that may be. there hasn't been such demand for table reservations for eight years as the hotel and restau- rant men have noted in the last week or SO. Every hotel, whether it possesses one or several supper rooms. will be damned from wall to wall next Friday night, when 1915 bows itself out and 1916 comes perkily in. Every restaurant favored by New Workers and the holiday visitors will be crowded to capacity.
 In the more pretentious places. where entertainment will be supplied to the patrons as well as supper and the joy inducing liquids that accompany supper New Years Eve supper will be offered at definite price plate. The cost o1 supper will vary according to the ornate ness of the place or the hberality of the entertainment. General'., speaking, any celebrator may sup substantially at from 8 a cover to s10 cover. That price does not include, of course. the champagne or other drinks that may be required
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-31
sELF-CONTROL OF LAPS nm the Rochester Democrat and Chrol

From the Rochester Democrat and Chron-
 icle.
 Among the points of superiority on which the members of the civilized white races pride themselves are their coolness and self-control in great emergencies. But just as the war has demonstrated that all the nations in Europe stand practically on par when it comes to courage and valor. so the sinking of the new Japanese liner Yasaka Maru in the Mediterranean brought out the fact that calmness, steadiness and bravery are among the attributes of the sons of Nip pon. "The passengers" says statement, expressed great admiration for the skill of the captain and officers and for the discipline of the crew. Perfect order was maintained during the debarkation, which was carried out with the greatest promptitude.' It would be good thing for Americans to dwell little on the exhibition by the Japanese sailors of all those manly qualities which we prize se highly. We shall never be able to main tain amicable relation with the J-~-n- ese unless we can learn to appreciate and acknowledge their good qualities.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-31
"BREAK YOUR MATCH IN TWO

"BREAK YOUR MATCH IN TWO" From the Outlook.
 One day late in June a man in a room on the seventh flood of an old fashioned brick building in Washington, holding a sheaf of telegrams in his left hand, was busy with his right taking red-headed
 pins out of his mouth and sticking them into little irregular blocks of green ink scattered over a large white wall map of the United States.
 "The big problem" he said, taking a fresh pin out of his mouth and turning sidewise to his assistant, "is to get at the fellow who knows what conserva- ton is but forgets to apply 1t when he lights up cigar in the woods" The assistant sat at fiat-topped oak desk in the middle of the room, strug- gling through a mass of reports from | field men in the endeavor to find sug- gestions for a set of fire-prevention rules"
 Well, what do you think of this?" he said, holding up a report from the Pa cifc northwest" Break your match in
 TWO before you throw it away" The other man stuck the last red pin into the map, reached for his pipe and l lighted it.
 Let's see,' he said. He snapped the burning match in his fingers; as the pieces dropped to the floor he uttered a sharp exclamation and tenderly licked the index finger of his left hand. 1 The assistant laughed. That's the
 idea" he said. You've got to blow it
 out before you break 1t, or get burned" So this suggestion became No. of a
 set of 10 rules which the forest service
 sent to 5000 newspapers at the begin i ming of the summers fire season in the national forests
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-31
aGnfM FOR THE YEAR

By PercySsshe Sna tlley Orphan hours q EssJ sssr is dead,
 Come and sigh, come and weep. Merry hours. smile instead,
 For the year is but asleep See, it smiles as it -.. sleeping. Mocking your untimely weeping. As an earthquake rocks a corpse
 In it's coffin in the clay, So white winter that rough nurse,
 Rocks that dead cold year today. Solemn hours! wall aloud For your mother in her shroud. As the wild air stirs and sways
 The tree-swung cradle Of a child. So the breath of these ru0e days
 Rocks the year-be calm and mild. Trembling hours; she wifl arise With new love within her eyes. January gray is here.
 Like a sexton by her grave; February bears the bier;
 March with grief doth howl and rave And April weeps-but O. ye hours. Follow with Mays fairest flowers
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-31

the iron trade there should be no sur prise if prices soar early in January, and it will not be long, perhaps, before $20 iron will look cheap.
 Verify, these are red letter days for iron and steel companies.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-31
THE INVESTIGATOR.

The waywardness of humankind
 Doth often make reformers weep, Who after careful study find
 We're only good when we're asleep. Tis sad to see such wickedness
 And mortals weak who can't resist; Though should we venture to express
 Our humble view, theorist Who pokes his nose most everywhere, Tn places high and low, as well, Intent on finding something there
 Offensive to his sense of smell, But seldom fails in his design,
 A fact that should not cause surprise. The faults he names are yours and mine And every one he magnifies.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-31
RATHER LEAN FARE

From the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
 The German experiment of feeding cows on old newspapers is like the plan tried by the Yankee farmer, who trained his horse to live without food. Just as he got the plan to working nicely. the horse died.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-31
DEVELOP OUR NATIONAL PARKS

DEV ELOF OVH NAIIONAL FAHNS From Golfers Weekly.
 Six hundred thousand customers went to the Rockies and the Pacific slope in the eight months just ended, and next to the San Francisco exposition, the national parks were the chief attraction. The great mass of American tourists fiocked to Glacier, Yellowstone. Rainier, and Yosemite. and were delighted with what they saw. This current of trave. to the west will go on after the European war is over if the governments parks are given the proper attention. There has never been any definite legislation for the care of these great natural show places and Congress ought to create national parks service with powers and duties sim ] liar to these of the forest service.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-31
AN EARLY BIRD

From the Gadesden Journal. John Sparrow has won the $75O play er- piano offered by the Birmingham Age Herald to the best ad writer. Spar
 row is an early bird.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-31
CONCEDED.

"At any rate, you were crazy to marry me-" said Mrs. Naggs at the end Of a rather lengthy argument.
 "I realize that now" answered Mir. Naggs. "All my friends told me so, but I wouldn't believe them.'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-31
DREAMS ONCE THOUGHT FANTASTIC

From the Cincinnati Times-Star.
 The battle aeroplanes which an Amer ican firm is said to be building for Great Britain are described by an eastern news paper as realizing all the dreams of Jules Verne, whose imaginative voyages in un- dersea and aerial craft once excited in- terest if not belief.
 In the late sixties Verne wrote Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea-" Five Weeks in a Balloon,'' "The Nautilus" and other novels in which he created scientific apparatus of highly plausible character. Verne. of course, was never taken seriously except as a novelist. But within two generations many of the crea- lures of his brain have become solid realities. The world today has grown cautious in rejecting as impossible pre- dictions of future scientific victories.
 Five years ago plans of tine aerial bat tleship carrying many men and heavy guns would have been looked upon with extreme skepticism. But today. Glenn Curtiss is said to be building a craft with three planes each 133 feet long, This dreadnaught is to carry eight men, 700 gallons of fuel, 5000 pounds of bombs and supplies and seven motors with total horse power of S25. A speed of 75 miles per hour can be maintained for sometime. Three-pounder guns, the report says, will be protected by adequate armor. The hull will be 20 feet wide, and will be equipped with small marine propeller. The total weight of the machine will be about 21, ,000 pounds, or more than 10 tons.
 None of these machines have as wei been tested. But assuming from past achievements that the great war hawk will be successful, 1t can easily be im- agined what destruction might be wrought by large fleet of them. It is not far from Jules Verne to conditions of today after all.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-31
NO TIME TO SPARE.

Now that the football season is over guess our boy at college will be able to do little studying" said Mrs. Dub- waite.
 'T'm afraid not" answered MT. Dub waite. ''He writes me that his social duties have been sadly neglected
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-31
The Permanent Exhibit

Many out-of-town people visit the manufacturers permanent exhibit, and l have not talked to one of them that did not manifest interest in the various dis plays" said Secretary J. H. Edmondson. Our Birmingham people are frequent visitors, as a matter of course, and as a rule, they speak of the exhibit as great credit to the Birmingham district, but not more than 50 per cent or our manufactories are represented. A little later on virtually all of them will rent space. We expect to have the second floor filled by springtime. All the first floor is filled and about one-fourth of the second is occupied.
 q think our permanent exhibit com pares we'll with similar exhibits in other cities of approximately Birmingham size, but we are entitled to aead of all the others"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-31
A FEW sUGGEsTIONs

From the Boston Advertiser. What the Congressional Record most needs, as a newspaper. is . good desk
 man to write heads, and . live advertis- ing solicitor.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-31

Even if Colonel House fails in his mis- sion abroad. hardly anybody will be the wiser. That's the advantage of being
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-31
ONE WAY.

Now" said the movie producer, 1T want you to register intense longing How can do that?" asked the actor
 Hum. Imagine yourself in a. dry
 town watching sheriff's deputies pouring 1000 gallons of conhscated liquor into a sewer"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-31
ONE WAY

From the Knoxville Sentinel. l The Memphis Commercial-Appeal thinks Europe hates us. In which case we might slack up on Europes feed supply until she changes her mind
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-31
guard against apathy.

Perhaps it is just as we'll that MT. Bryan didn't go along with MT. Ford. Those turbulent scenes aboard the Oscar II would have been painful to the na- tion's leading pacifist.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-31
Spent Holidays in Kentucky

c. E. Weisenburgh, a prominent young grain dealer of Montgomery, spent yes- terday in Birmingham on his return from Lexington, Ky, where he had spent the holidays.
 Lexington is my old home. and it is always a delight for me to v'~it the scenes of my boyhood,'' said MT. Weisen- burgh.
 Kentucky. as every one knows, is great state-rich in natural resources and
 noted for its good people. Lexington
 grows steadily and all that section is
 pr Iosperous. We have many Kentuckians
 living in Alabama, and mo- come.
 Alabama is widely advertised as
 state of wonderful opport"-'ty, and many of my Kentucky friends were mak-
 ing especial inquiry about Birmingham.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-31
A HARD LOOsER

From the Washington tSar I Reports of his remarks indicate that Villa will never be a candidate for mem-
 bership in the Association of Good Los
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-31
TRUE
lond rimes-D Dispatch.

From the Richmond Times-Dispatch. A headlight on an automobile Is of little use if there is a light head at
 the steering gear.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-31

The Kaiser is said to be suffering from malignant boil Under the circum- stances if he happens to take . pessimis- tic view of life. it isn't surprising.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-31
EXCESS BAGGAGE

From the Philadelphia Telegraph. Iron money may be all right for Ger
 many, but we don't think we would care to go around, with our pockets bulging with stove lids
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-31

Now a member of Congress has been That's getting entirely too close to home.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-31

Colonel Roosevelts opinion of a pacif- ist isn't fit to print-bur he continues to print it,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-31

If Baltimore is really wicked town tourists.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-31

Those boys in the trenches have nothing the time.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-31

Among the conspicuous optimists is the man who smokes Santa Claus cigars with apparent enjoyment.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-31

New York is all ready for it's New Year celebration. The indications point to an exceedingly wet night
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-31

| Investigations made at Sing Sing show
 that it is even possible to lead the high 1 life behind prison bars.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-31

A great many important matters are waiting while the President enjoys his honeymoon. but in the Presidents opin- ion that honeymoon is more important still
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-31

The grippe germ never sleeps and the doing so
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-31

To one sadly disillusioned man nov voyagng homeward little old Detroit must seem like the fairest spot on earth
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-31

The central powers have evidently de- cided to think twice before taclzling the allies at Salonik
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-31

BEGINNING THE DAY--My Father, haIn me to do my duty today an" trust Thee with the results. VII. ask not what will come out " it. but whether 1t is tho comn"" of God. Grant it Tor Ses"s Amen-H. M. E.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-31

WORKING ON BAD MEMS EYES From the -Knickerbocker Press
 Secretary Redfield says makers of hosiery are reaping large profits. They are helping the opticians business, too
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-31
The Ford Party

"I see from one of the New ! ork dallleS
 that the chief publicity man of the Ford
 peace expedition has returned to New
 York on one of the Swedish-American
 liners and tells of the numerous squab-
 bles aboard the Oscar II as the party was on the broad Atlantic enjoying the ocean breezes and participating in disor- derly arguments" said Monte Semon. "The publicity mans name is Robert German and his experience while on ship board must have been rather disagree able according to his interview.
 "Berman declares that bomb was fig uratively thrown into the ranks of the pacifsts when S. s. Mcclure, the maga- zine publisher, read the Presidents mes- sage to Congress to those on board. It seems as if Dr. Aked was one of the
 most belligerent of the peace expedition ary force and succeeded in helping in the general confusion that followed the draw l ing up of the articles of peace which each had to sign before taking part in the peace ceremonies at The Hague. Berman
 said the strain was too much for him, and
 he wanted to get back to the good old U. s. A. and forget the peace people who made a failure of their efforts to even get together themselves.
 "Mr. Ford took little part in the pro-
 ceedings aboard the ship and appeared to be deeply grieved over the idea of the peace advocates going to war among
 themselves Berman stated that Ford spent more than $5O.0oo for wireless mes- sages alone, and that the expedition will cost in the neighborhood of $5O000O. It is
 to be regretted that these prominent men
 and women demonstrated to the world l that peace was not the paramount issue in their own minds. MT. Ford will prob ably receive a great deal of advertise 2nent out of his scheme, but that may not be the means of consoling his injured
 feelings at the way his peace envoys
 acted"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-31

As the old year dies the last sound he will hear will be the popping of cham pagne corks.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-31

It is probable that the belligerents will do little fighting during January. That may give the peace crusaders, as well as Colonel House, an opportunity to be heard.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-31
The estate of Mrs. Laura s. Rockefeller

| The estate of Mrs. Laura s. Rockefeller, wife of John D. Rockefeller, who died last March. has been appraised at $1, 490, = S71. The executors set apart $43s, ,59S for | the Rockefeller foundation, $500, 900 for the Womens American Baptist Foreign Mis- sionary society, sl0o,0OO for the women's s American Baptist Home Missionary so- ciety and $75,000 for the Bureau of Social Hygiene, founded by John D. Rockefeller, Jr., to combat white slavery. Mrs. Rocke- feller's subsidiary estate of more than
 s90o, 900 was left to her husband, her son.
 John D. Rockefeller, Jr., and her daugh- ter, Mrs. Alta Rockefeller Prentice. to distribute as they saw fit among eight
 charitable organizations, but the execu-
 tors were given the authority to exclude
 any of the beneficiaries from sharing in
 the estate. Mrs. Rockefeller's jewelry
 was valued at ,971. The most valuable
 article was string of pearls with a black
 pearl pendant, which went to Mrs. John
 D. Rockefeller, Jr. The appraiser fixed
 the value of Mrs. Rockefeller's wearing
 apparel and furs at s1O65. Her income for
 1914, as reported to the federal income tax
 collectors. was s13,317. 4
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-31
ALABAMA PRESS

Troy Messenger: The sheriffs over the state were successful in capturing much of the Christmas booze.
 Selma Times: Roosevelt is being called upon to be the Moses of the republican party. Moses, it may be recalled. never reached the promised land
 Mobile Register: The police are punch ing the punch board operators in several cities of Alabama, and after the punch board is disposed of, it will be something else.
 Anniston Star: Broken-hearted old King Peter of Servia has taken refuge in Italy, where he will be fed a combina- tion of spaghetti, grated cheese, tomatoes and olive oil. Better to have fallen into the hands of his foes
 Montgomery Advertiser: We ares told that the French are tired of eating horse meat. This being so. they will probably eat Packards in future. If they were to grow tired of frog legs we'suppose they would then eat Ford wheels,
 Gadsden Journal: Winston county cit izens propose to pay the expense of transporting elk belonging to Alabama from Yellowstone National park. Win ston is not noted as a democratic county and this may be another attempt to im- port some "h1111 moose
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-31

If General Villa is wise he will post pone his attempt to trim Carranza's s whiskers to some more propitious time
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-31
ADRIFT WITH THE TIMES
RARE ro1sE.

RARE POSSE.
 'Tncalculable wealth is represented by the men seated around this table,"
 "Astoundingr' l However. I can't help admiring the sang-froid of the head waiter who is looking after the details of the banquet" | "Yes?"
 "He couldn't be more condescending if he were the representative of a foreign government here to borrow a billion or two"
 SPEED MANIA.
 How are you getting along with Miss Gadson?'' l q think I'm ahead of all the other fellows so far. as have the fastest motor car in town | q see'' 1 "But I'll be out of the race if she ever gets acquainted with fellow who owns a high-power aeroplane' INTENSELY PRACTICAL.
 What is your idea of practical phil lanthropist?" There are various types of practical philanthropists.''
 "Yes?'
 For instance, there is the sort of man who offers to give a starving family pound of butter if they'll provide the bread"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-31
Mis-. Wilson's self-sacrifice

Miss Margaret Wilson has decided 10
 take up settlement work in New York,
 said Hardy M. Burt. "I suppose she so decided on account of the new prlde
 coming to take her place as the hostess or
 the White House.
 ..Her decision to go out in the slums of New York and administer to the down. trodden and helpless is quite a noble one. and she should be praised for her unselfish sacrifice. She must be 8 hne woman to make up her mind to go into the heart of all the poverty when she has never known anything but luxury. .The example of Miss Wilson has been followed by some of the finest women in the land who took up the settlement work years ago. Miss Jane Addams of Chicago is one of the most noted of settlement workers and the good she has done for the poor all over the United States Is nothing short of wonderful. It is 8 great thing for we Americans to know that we have such sacrificing women who are will l ing to give their time money and energy 1 to those who can never repay them.'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-31

L. D. Griffis and w. D. Brumbeloe are tbe only authorized traveling repre- sentatives of The Age. Herald in its cir- eulation department.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-31
HOTEL LOBBIES
Decorou. Christmas Celebration

There was much pleasant comment on Birmingham's decorous Christmas eve and Christmas day crowds on the streets" said August Hirsch, "and l was particularly pleased to recall the fact that I had something to do with breaking up the old time hoodlumism that was a disgrace to the community.
 Three years ago I was wrought to an angry pitch at the rowdyism of grown men with tin horns and cannon crackers, and while my blood was boiling wrote piece for The Age-Herald calling for a reform in this matter. I characterized the celebration of Christ mas as it had been here as nothing short of an outrage
 T took copy of the paper contain ing my article to the city hall and read to the commissioners what I had writ ten. The commissioners, by a unanimous vote, decided that I was right.
 Since then we have had orderly behavior on the streets at Christmas time.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-31
Birmingham Trusts Extra Dividend


 The Birmingham Trust and Savings company, which has been declaring a , per cent semi-annual dividend right along, has just declared an additional dividend of per cent, and this fact naturally caused 8 pleasant surprise among the friends and patrons of the bank, as we'll as the stockholders.
 Despite the business depression in the first part of the year, the Birming- ham Trust has prospered greatly during the 12 months and I am proud of the fact that after adding to our surplus, we were able to pay an additional divi- dend of per cent" said Vice President T. o. Smith. I've pay regular divi- dend of per cent semi annually, but as our surplus is now $150.000 more than our capital--$500, ,0OO capital and S650,000 surplus-the directors felt that it would be the proper thing to do to declare the extra per cent dividend.'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-31

Entered at the Birmingham, Ala. postoffice as second class matter un- der act of Congress March 8, 1879.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-31

| Troy Messenger: The sheriffs over the state were successful in capturing much of the Christmas booze