davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-07
Where Leisure Brought Wealth

Speaking of grim tenacity, here's an instance of it that brought rich reward to the man who "stuck by the ship"-only it happened to be Colo rado mining camp instead of ship.
 Here's the story-you'll sift out the lesson it teaches as you read.
 Out in Boulder county, Colorado, in 1870, three prospectors discovered a silver mine. They named it the Caribou. After six months develop ment work they sold half interest in the property for $750,000-a quar- ter of a million each. These prospec- tors, prior to their discovery, were very poor. Therefore the sudden ac- quisition of so much money was like the fulfilment of a dream. And still further riches were in store for them, for the syndicate that bought the half interest worked the mine and divided the almost fabulous proceeds with the discoverers, who were wise enough to not relinquish their entire interest.
 But there came day when the Caribou no longer yielded "pay dirt" "Petered out" the old pros pectors said.
 Then came an exodus from the mining camp. First, one by one, the inhabitants left. Then they went by dozens and at last by scores-until only one man-grizzlcd old John Pickel, one of the Caribou's discov- erers-remained He had spent money h prodigal manner and his fortune
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-07

From the Rochester Herald.
 is reported from England that there is serious danger of a split among the
 English Quakers, as a large number of them believe that it is their duty to en- list for the war; while others maintain that Quakers should adhere to the peace principles of George Fox, though the heavens should fall. Of course the Quakers are not a very important body, from numerical standpoint but Quaker ism has held out much better in England, and even in Ireland, than it has among ourselves, and not few able and wealthy Britons and Irishmen are to be found in the Society of Friends.
 There was a split among the Quakers of Pennsylvania, especially in Philadelphia, at the time when the 13 American colonies declared their independence of Great Britain, for many of the Quakers wanted to join the army and fight. They did, too, and they became known as the Free Quakers, or the Fighting Quakers. One of these Free Quakers was Thomas Mfr fin. who became a general in the Con tinental army, and was afterward elected governor of the state of Pennsylvania. These Free Quakers were disciplined by
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-07
Means Much for This District

Added to the already large indus trial activities of the Birmingham dis trict will be two benzol plants in con- nection with by-product coke ovens.
 One will be erected by the Ten nessee company at its by-product ovens at Fairfield and the other by the Edison company at Woodward in connection with the by-product ovens of the Woodward company. The Ten nessee company's plant, with ca pacity of 13,000 gallons every 26 hours, will be constructed at cost of about $4OO,OO0, and the plant at Woodward will cost something like S30O,O0
 Benzol is used so extensively in chemical compounds that the demand for it is practically limitless.
 As important as is crop diversified tion in Alabama, industrial diversifi- cation Tn this district IS of more direct and immediate interest hereabouts. Diversification is the fashion and Bir- mingham keeps up with it. It is a very significant fact that while in- dustrial depression. was prevailing throughout the country plans were developed for the building and opera tion of these new plants.
 It shows not only that capital has confidence in the district, but that the spirit of progress is very much in evidence. Vixen two benzol plants are undertaken by separate interests at the same time it looks as if the promised new era of prosperity for the Birmingham district had got a big start,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-07
The Bond Issue Campaign

Such a simple, business-like~propo- sition as the $1,250, 1000 bond issue for Birmingham's temporary relief to be voted upon next Monday should not need all this campaigning. Birming- hams floating indebtedness amounts now to $750,000 and by next fall it will be $500,000 more. The city owes the money and it owes it for im- provements of which the citizens are today deriving the benefit. This floating indebtedness will be pres sing for payment and the only way the city can escape bankruptcy is by the funding process.
 Birmingham's bonded indebtedness is not large as cities go. It is now only $5,S65, 400, which is much less than that of other cities of approx imately it's size. Richmond's bonded debt is $12,015, ,S59; Atlanta's is $6, ,237 ,45O, and that of Memphis is S1O,561 500.
 The people of Birmingham should be practically unit for the bond issue. If many citizens were ignorant of the situation when the bond election was ordered they cannot plead igno- rance now. The city commission has been absolutely frank in this matter It published comprehensive state ments of the city's financial affairs, but lest some people had failed ot read those statements bond cam paign was projected for the very pur- pose of enlightening those who lacked information or who didn't quite real ize how necessary it was for the city to obtain this temporary relief. Yet, notwithstanding all the educational work that has been done within the last few days, there is still some op- position to the bond issue.
 The bond proposition will carry at the polls by decisive majority, but for the reputation of Birmingham the majority should be overwhelming
 Chairman Bowie, Dr. R. M. Gun ningham, Commissioner Weatherly and other campaign speakers have been putting in telling licks. All their discussions have been in lan- guage plain enough for everyone to understand and they have been con- vincing.
 Let all public spirited citizens be ready to assist in bringing out big vote and in rolling up a big majority.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-07
THE FIGHTING QUAKER

the Society of Friends, and they sepa- rated from the main body and built for themselves a meeting house in Philadel- phia, which is still standing, although there have been no worshipers there for many years. It is said that only four or five of them were to be found half a cen tury after the revolution, but they all gathered in the meeting house on Sundays until only one of them was left, and he. too, sat there on Sundays all alone until death claimed him.
 It is a mistake to suppose that the Quakers. as rule, were timid folk. Most of them were brave men and brave women. They suffered great deal for their peculiar opinions, and they did little murmuring. This was as true of the Quakers who stood for peace it was of the Quakers who believed that there were times when it was righteous to fight. But one loves the Fighting Quakers a little better than the other kind, for they seem more human. It is fine to observe now much fire our civil war put into the heart of the gentle Whittier. If he had been a younger man, or in better health, one feels that Whittier would have shouldered his gun, For at bottom he was a Fight ing Quaker
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-07
Great Britain and Prohibition

King George V has set an example to his people by becoming a tee totaler, and in order to further i'm press the public with his efforts to promote temperance, especially while the war lasts, he has ordered that no wines or spirits be served to any members of the royal household.
 Many peers and men prominent in public life have announced their pur- pose to get on the water wagon and remain on it until peace is restored.
 In view of the lack of efficiency on the part of large proportion of the mechanics employed in factories turn ing out munitions of war, due to in- temperance, the British government felt impelled to do something to i'm prove conditions. The cabinet talked about revoling the licenses of all liquor houses, or asking Parliament to pass a drastic prohibition bill as war measure.
 It was thinkable that the United Kingdom might become "dry" for 6 limited time; but national prohibition was not bit likely. In England and Scotland there was prompt and vigorous protest against statutory prohibition. Scotland is said to be greatly wrought up over the very sug- question of prohibition. But the agitation which started with Chan cellor Lloyd-George has had the de- sired effect. Thousands and tens of thousands of Englishmen have "sworr off" If King George, Lord Kitchener and others of high station could give up alcoholic stimulants, in which by implication they indulged to some eX- tent, the men of the rank and file could do likewise. The factory work. CTS who had been abusing liquor got on their mettle at once and reformed at least, many of them did.
 Thus a grave problem has beer solved by the total abstinence wave Voluntary teetotalism is accomplish ing for. England what prohibition might not have done.
 When England and Scotland gC "dry" by law then it may not be toe much to imagine that the heavens will fall or that Chicago will ever vote out "Demon Rum."
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-07

curiously obtuse even for a political pro- hibitionist if he can't see the fmmeasura- ble distance between a temporary ma tional restriction or prohibition, yielded to by men who cheerfully sacrifice a cer- tain measure of personal liberty to a great national purpose. and the perma- nent forcing of national prohibition upon an unwilling state.
 Whatever of economic argument the drys may get from the present experi- ence of England they are entitled to use; but they are not fair if they forget that England will give up liquor for time, if she gives 1t up. by the will to patriot ism and not in the spirit of sumptuary legislation
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-07

had dwindled. But he was an optimist and proclaimed the belief that he would find new wealth in the hills.
 So, the old man lived on in soli- tude-for many years the only inhabi- tant of the deserted town. He saw the church and the schoolhouse he had built as memorials to his dead wife erumble. He saw dust and cobwebs settle over the shelves of a general merchandise store he had operated when the camp was in it's heyday. He ate the canned goods he had in stock-then he made periodical trips at long intervals to the outside world for supplies, but for the most part he lived a hermit life.
 He owned the whole town-there was no other to claim 1t. He was lit- orally "monarch of all he surveyed
 One day while prospecting for sil- yer, long years after the Caribou had been abandoned, the old mans pick brought tungsten to the surface. He didn't know what he'd found-but an assayer down at Denver knew, and the veteran of the Rocky mountains was shrewd enough to exact ample toll from capitalists who saw profit in tungsten development.
 So, Caribou's star rose again and the grim-faced old prospector re- deemed his wasted fortune. He's dead now, but old-timers in Colorado point to his career as verification of the old adage: "A rolling stone gathers no moss.'
 Sometimes there's Tuck in leisure" and it doesn't always pay to be in a hurry.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-07
FIRST AMERICAN CARTooNs
q the Cartoons Magazine.

From the cartoons MaSaZlne.
 The snake cartoon, the pictured repre- sentation of the American colonies as a snake cut up into pieces. was the first American cartoon. This is the statement of James Melvin Lee, director of the de- partment of journalism of New York uni versity in an article on "Wordless Jour- nalism."
 "This snake cartoon was used first by Benjamin Franklin" continues MT. Lee in his article. "Just to show that ever
 the colonial editors recognized the power of cartoon, it may be well to give the list of papers whitehall in the month ot May-copied the snake: The New York Gazette, the New York Mercury, the Bos- ton Gazette and the Boston Newsletter The cartoon in the Boston Gazette was an improvement of the original; from a mouth ready to bite, came the words Unite and Conquer The South Caro- lima Gazette did the best 1t could with ia. cilities at it's disposal and reproduced 6 near snake with lines to represent tho | parts. The Virginia Gazette spoke oi
 a late ingenious emblem No other car
 toon ever went the rounds so completely lo.' tnc neWSpdpers OI tils pcIlou couie practically be counted on ones hands, ] But this wasn't the end of the snake 1 declares MT. Lee. After a sleep of 1 years it appeared in the Constitutions Courant. In connection with an item abou 1 the Courant, which had meanwhile sus pended, the snake again crawled into tn, columns of the Boston Evening Post il | 17o5 He continues
 ''The reptile had another rest. In 1774 however. John Holt, the fighting editor, | dragged it out or its newspaper hole ant put it in the title of his paper, the New 1 York Journal, or the General Advertiser It now had nine parts. for Georgia hat come in. It's caption was changed tc l Unite or Die In December of 1774 Holt: snake shed Its skin and appeared, coilet and united. On it appeared: United now l free and alive firm on this basis liberty shall stand and thus supported ever bles.
 our land till time becomes eternity
 When the British occupied New York
 Holt took his paper to Kingston Wher that town was burned by the British Holt set up his shop in Poughkeepsie. t,v denty in his haste to get out of New Yorf. he left behind the cut of the snake
 for there is no device in the title of hi paper after the last issue In Gotham
 on August 29. 1736."
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-07
WAITING FOR SPRING

By Greenleaf Whittier 'Tis the noon of the springtime, yet
 never a bird ~ In the wind shaken elm or the maple is
 heard; For green meadow grasses wide levels
 of snow, And blowing of drifts where the crocus
 should blow Where wind flower and violet, amber
 and white, An south -sloping brooksldes should
 smile in the light, Ger the cold winter beds of their late
 waking roots The frosty lake eddies the ice crystal
 shoots, And, longing for light, under wind
 driven heaps, Round the boles of the pine wood the,
 ground laurel creeps Unkissed of the sunshine. unbaptized oi
 showers, With buds scarcely swclled, which
 should burst into fowers We wait for thy coming, sweet wind oi
 the south. For the touch of thy light wings, the
 kiss of thy moutll For the yearly evangel thou bearest
 from God, Resurrection and life tosthe graves oi
 the sod.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-07
The Temperance Question

'I am opposed to statewide, and there- fore to nationwide prohibition, but I be- lieve in total abstinence societies and am myself a member of one,' said an old citizen. "All men must admire the total abstinence example set by the King of Great Britain. Most Britishers drink Scotch highballs and strong ale and prob- ably King George enjoyed his dram or two a day and his ale at dinner, as much as any representative Englishman there fore it was all the more commendable in him to cut it out at this time. Apropos here Is good article from the New York Sun:
 The Hon. Morris Sheppard, a senator in Congress from Texas and the Young Roscius of Texarkana, sees in the Eng fish movement for restricting the use oi alcohol during the war a powerful inn petus for the dry constitutional amend ment He sees national prohibition ir the United States within four years if not sooner And he calmly misrepresents English opinion by assuming that action now will lead ultimately to permanent English prohibition.
 MT Sheppard takes no note of the fact that movement for voluntary tota abstinence led by Kitchener and the King is going on side by side with or as 8 preparation for whatever curtailment o1 the vending of intoxicants may be decided upon; and nobody knows what that cur. tailment will be. The temporary disus, of alcohol is recommended in Englant as patriotic duty, as the disuse of tea once was in this country. Restriction vii not rest on supposed morality, but oi patriotism and national necessity. More over, if it be clear to Englishmen tha such restriction, even if it should go te the point of prohibition, is a patriotic duty. who can doubt that the majority of them will consent?
 The Hon. Morris Sheppard must b,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-07
APRIL FOOL ON MAMA.

Little Willie, who by the way, goes to Five Points school. had a very pretty governess. On April 1 he rather star tied his mother by rushing in and say ing:
 Mama, there's a strange man up- stairs kissing Miss K-."
 "What?" said his mother. as she rang for the butler. April fool, Mama. April fool" said Willie in high glee Ut isn't a strange man at all. It's papa"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-07
Counting Gold Pieces

Misapplied ingenuity was again exem- plitied in the case of the negro dentist recently bound over to the federal grand jury on a charge of counterfeiting 8 gold pieces" said a government official
 '"rhe coins were so perfect that several local bankers pronounced them genuine and it was only slight shade off color that lead to their detection. It is stated that when compared with the other coun- terfeit gold coins in office of the treas ury department, the ones found in Bir- mingham were not exseied in finish and workmanship, weight and ring by any in the collection.
 'To have accomplished this feat must have tasked the skill and ingenuity of the oounterfeiter whoever he may be, for it is difficult to reproduce coins that will pass the ordinary banker without detection as the annals of the treasury department wifi show, and few 'phony' coins have ever been made that were not readily picked out by those familiar with the handling of money.
 This being the case it shows how expert the person was who made the coins whether he be the man arrested or some other party not yet in the tolls of the law.
 Tt occurred to me that this expert ness and skill, properly directed, might have worked for the benefit of the pub lie generally and to the financial gain of the expert whoever he may be. As it now stands the only reward seems to be term in the penitentiary'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-07
ALABAMA PRESS

Huntsville Mercury Banner: The Mo- bile democrats are getting tired of this sitting back in a fret and chewing the cud as practiced by the old Conner lovers in Mobile. A mass meeting of real dem ocrats has been called for next Friday night to encourage the people to get behind the legislature, or between it and the outside bosses.
 Gadsden Evening Journal: An At lanta man was arrested for "cussing" the jitney bus. When the court learned
 he was street car inspector, he was released
 Anniston Evening Star: If you just
 will grunt anyway, make a noise like a hog and, in the language of the An
 dalusia Star, "root for a pig club" Winston Herald: The state papers
 are all stating that the cotton acreage will most certainly be reduced. A small cotton crop will raise the price.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-07
SYD'S SCRIBBLINGS
THE ANNUAL "nAcKroNATuRE.,.

THE ANNUAL "BACKTONATURE.'' The time is here, Oh, yes it is. to start that back Yard garden biz. Go out today
 And buy some seed; Five dollars worth You'll likely need. And while you're out Just buy hoe, A rake and spade You'll need, you know. The clothes you've worn For several falls Are much too good For oyeralls. So. while you're out, You'd better get A suit of dark Brown kahkiette. And then, of course, You cannot use That dandy pair Of low-cut shoes. You could not stain That pair of tans, So buy yourself Some nice brogans Now, you're ready. So you commence To dig up yard Clear to the fence. The things you say I cah't repeat: The seed you plant You'll never eat. Your nice outlay For tools and seeds Will net you just A bunch of weeds. So. do not call A farmer "Hick; Your heads as small And just as thick.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-07
sATIsFIED7

Willard Is the Champion,
 The headlines flashed it out He whipped the dinge, Jack Johnson, In fast and furious bout He hit him in the stomach,
 He hit him on the groin, But he didn't smash Jacks pocketboolS, Cause Johnson got the coin. The money went to Johnson,
 The championship to Jess; That's what each was fighting for, And they're satisfied. I guess.
 STD.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-07
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
The Music Festival

l There is a very brisk demand fo
 tickets for the music festival to be giyei
 at the Jefferson theatre April 19 unde
 the auspices of the Birmingham Chora
 association said B. B. Burton of tn
 shelby-Burton-cable company. at who's
 place of business the advance sale take
 place. Tt is particularly gratifying u
 see the schools taking an interest il the forthcoming festival. I believe tha
 both matinee and night performance will draw capacity houses"
 Cost of Elections
 'The New York Times finds that tn, last election in the state of New Yorl cost the taxpayers and the candidate. considerably over s4.o0o,000, or more thar ss.50 for each vote polled." said writer in the Baltimore Sun.
 Nearly s3,O00.000 came from the public treasury and the rest came from the candidates and campaign committees Much of it came from the pockets of candidates who were defeated. The fig ures given by the Times do not seem to include the cost of primary elections, which was probably almost as large as that of the general election. In any event, the figures are staggering and the amounts spent on the election by the candidates close the door of hope upon all persons of moderate means who as- pire to office.
 New York is not the only place where election costs run into big figures In Maryland, we believe the election and ao rd to the number of voters far greater than those in New York given in the Times Here each election is duplicated. In Bal timore this year we have no fewer than four elections and many sittings of the officers of registration. For the primary election, which is now a legal election conducted by officials paid by the city and counties, each candidate for nomina- tion has to pay certain sum. But this does not come anywhere near covering the cost of the election, and the taxpay- CTS must pay the rest. Then after the successful candidate pays his money, his personal campaign expenses and many other costs, he is confronted with the actual election, with more campaign ex- penses and contributions to the campaign committees. That this costly method of filling offices is an evil cannot be de- nied. But what is the remedy? It is easier to point out the evil than to sug- gest remedy. The primary system is here and here to stay. It was adopted in response to an insistent popular de- mand, and the people will not be willing to surrender it.
 Some of the remedies that naturally suggest themselves are fewer elections a reduction in the number of voting pre- cincts, smaller number of election of ficials and the short ballot. While we are not prepared to urge these changes in the law, or all of them, they are worth considering"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-07

From the Louisville Courier-Journal.
 EF any feeling but horror can attend
 the reading of the story of 'Canada Il Blaclie," the famous convict who died at Sing Sing the other day, it must be one of qualification that we have progressed measurably over the barbaric conditions that surrounded his prison life "Blackie' bids fair to be the last victim of that mis- taken and murderous conception of the purpose and conduct of prisons Already the tale wears a legendary air, so thor ouehly immersed have we become in the new philosophy, and so far have we trav- eled these past few years. This is all that saves us from unmitigated horror at the record of his prison experiences.
 Yet it was only yesterday-as life terms go that convicts were counting buttons on their shirts by way of preserving san itv in solitary confinement, or holding their distracted wits to the business or counting the pin holes in the iron doors to theirsdarkened cells. Byron's Prisoner of Chiffon" was written some hundred years ago, but it was not until the other day that convicts were relieved of the necessity of counting paces in their cells
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-07
CATCH DELAYED.

Tommy went fishing last Sunday without his mothers permission. When he arrived at school the next morning one of his chums asked: "Did you catch anything yesterday. Tommy"
 Not till I got home" was the sad response.