davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-12-25
TOmOrrOw's Age-Herald

Tomorrow The Age-Herald will
issue magazine section of 80 pages
known as the "Muscle Shoals
Edition" 1t will be devoted exclusive
ly to calling attention to the mag
nitude and Importance of this great
water power project on the Tennessee
river and to the activities and prog
ress of the people of Lauderdale and
Colbert, the two counties most vitality
affected by Harvesting the electric en-
ergy now going to vase over these
shoals
Naturally the Yuletidc spirit will
predominant in the special features of
tomorrow's Age Herald. Perhaps the
most novel feature of the Rotogravure
Section will be full page reproduc-
ton of a remarkable painting inspired
by the present war entitled, Il Am
the Resurrection" There will also be
a striking photograph of Mrs. Oscar
w. Underwood, together with other
views of special interest.
Of special moment Just now are
society's plans for the holidays. Hun
dreds of boys and girls are back from
the colleges. Complete accounts of the
10, - +c J.
be found in tomorrow's Age Herald.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-12-25

Steps have been taken to remedy the
deficiency, but it will be sometime
before the extra men will be availa-
bic. Secretary Daniels has asked Con-
gress to provide for 1900 additional
bluejackets, $500 apprentice seamen
and 1900 marines, but this number
will hardly be adequate for present
needs and more will be needed to man
the new ships which will be put into
commission.
Conditions in the army are much
the same. Most of our mobile troops
are stationed along the Mexican Dor
der. Arsenals and army posts, except
those where there are regular garri-
sons stationed, are poorly guarded. 1t
is said that a majority of the coast
defense batteries are in charge of
caretakers. Guns worth SAL ,000,0 900
are without trained forces to man
them and many of the posts have only
normal protection.
The American government has
been VIGOROUSLY lax in guarding its
military secrets. 1t is quite likely that
foreign nations have complete infor-
nation relating to every phase of our
national. defense, information that
was obtained with comparatively lit
tie trouble.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-12-25
----ss.-------------------
THE FIRST STEAMBOAT

From the Ohio State Journal.
How prone men are to hold fast to a
view they have embraced even after II
has been utterly disproved, Take, for
instance, the case of Robert Fulton and
the invention of the steamboat. He has
always been distinguished for operating
the first steamboat, and only recently a
great anniversary was observed in New
York in honor of him and his invention
Yet we read in "The Social Forces in
American History" the following:
.'Fitch's steamboat was making regular
trips up and down the Delaware in 1890
His neighbors looked upon him as a half
insane crank. He was to share the fate
of a multitude of those who have light
ened the labor of the world. He died in
poverty, the butt of ridicule, while an
other man and generation reaped fame
and wealth from his IDEAS
This intelligence is supported by an adj
vertisement in the Pennsylvania Packet
of June IA, 1890. that THE steamboat is
now ready to take passengers. and is
intended to set off from Arch street ferry
in Philadelphia every Monday. Wednes-
day and Friday, from Burlington. Bristol
Bordentown and Trenton" This steam
boat was John Fitch's, and it antedated
Fultons Clermont II years. and it made
regular trips for three months. The orig
inal model of the engine that ran this
steamboat is at the Archa Biological build.
ing in this city.
We have always considered it an out
rage to deprive John Fitch of the honor
of this great invention and turn it ovei
to another, who was only Fitchs imi-
tatOr.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-12-25
The Ford Mission FiascO.

Il feel sorry for Mr. Ford who is evil
IDENTIFY suffering from nervous prostration
and is on his way back to America, but I
blame the men and women supposed to
have had some knowledge of internatio
affairs who encouraged him in his peace
mission project" said Benjamin s. Hick-
man of Chicago.
From all accounts Mr.. Ford is entirely
lacking in worldly wisdom, and when
Madame Rosika Schwimmer. the Hun
garian lady, came to this country and
suggested to the kind hearted millionaire
that he could end the war if he would
take shipload of pacifsts to The Hague,
he fell to it, as we say in slang Madame
Schwimmer's intentions We're doubtless
good, but the public saw that she was
leading Mr.. Ford on FOOLS grand
"A score or more of prominent Ameri-
cans accepted Mr.. Ford S invitation to join
his peace party, but before the Oscar II S
sailing time all but three or four had
taken in the situation and backed out.
They did not wish to make themselves
ridiculous. L cannot understand how ed
ucated men like DR.. Aked, DR.. Jenkin
Lloyd Jones, and Judge Ben Lindsey
could have taken the Ford enterprise seri-
ously.
The quixotic venture must have cost
Mr. Ford already s1,00o,0O0 and that money
is absolutely thrown away. When media
ton for the ending of the war does begin.
neutral governments or neutral rulers will
be the participants, not persons in private
life
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-12-25
EFFICIENCY OF SUBMARINE

From 1.-THE Submarine in War" by Rob-
ner.
Several factors have to be borne in mind
when considering the surprising eff
cheney of the submarines during the past
year, factors known to the advocates of
underwater craft before the commence
ment of hostilities. The first is the ad-
vantage which the submarine enjoys over
all types of surface warships, of being
able to become invisible at will. On the
surface so little of her frail hull shows
above the water that it may be made to
blend with the ever-changing tints of the
surrounding sea- To increase this in
visibility various colors have been adopt
ed by the different navies. The French,
after many experiments, have chosen a
pale. sea-green. mountainous paint; the
British dull crap; the Germans gray
brown. But it is when fully submerged
that the concealment of the submarine
becomes practically perfect. And this has
earned for her the name of the daylight
torpedo boat" for in a short space of
thee she acquires the ability of perform
surface torpedo boat may accomplish only
under cover of darkness or fog, that Of
creeping unobserved within range of an
enemy and of launching her deadly mis-
sile. 1t was thus that the E-9 torpedoed
and sunk the German light cruiser Hela
six miles south of Heligoland. and i'm
mediately afterward faded from view by
submerging, while fiotilla of German
destroyers, summoned to the scene by
wireless, hunted her in vain on the sur
face.
Another factor. which the practical
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-12-25
THE BELGIAN KING

From the Delineator.
The King OF the Belgians is not at all
what the public imagines him to be. He
is not in any sense a dashing soldier, nor
does he ever look like one. He is a quiet
young man. who might pass for an Ok
ford don. or student of science. He has
very fair hair which never responds to
the brush. but is always untidy in a
rather pleasing manner, and light COM
plexion which becomes entirely pink when
he is hot or shy He is near-sighted and
generally wears glasses, which give a
certain staring effect to his blue eyes.
His jaVis heavy and suggests tenacity,
but his face is lightened by the frank and
boyish eyes and noble forehead. He is
tall and rather heavily built
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-12-25
STREETS OF CONsTANTINopLE

John Reed in the January Metropolitan
Daoud Bey was waiting for me, and to-
gether we went out into Tramway street,
where the electric cars clang past news
boys shout the late editions of the morn
ing papers, written in French-and apart
ment houses, curiosity shops, cafes, banks
and embassies look like a shabby quar-
ter in an italian city Here everyone,
men and women, wore European clothes
just trifle off in fashion, fit and cloth
ike store clothes" bought on Third ave-
nue.; but all the men had fezes 1t was a
crowd of no nations and of all hoods
clever facile, INSCRIPTIONS. shallow
Levantine. At the gates of the few open
embassies sat the conventional Montene-
grin doorkeepers, in savage panoply OF
nous sashes stuck full of pistols; kavases
of consulates and legations slouched
around the doors of diplomats, their uni
forms covered with gold lace, fezes and
arms blazing on them, and swords. An
occasional smart carriage went by, with
driver and footman in the barbaric livery
of the diplomatic service. Yet turn into
any street off the Grand Rue or the Rue
/ DIES Tramways, and the tall overhanging
buildings echoed with appeals of half
naked ladies leaning callously from their
windows, all the way up to the fourth
floor. In those narrow, twisting alleys all
the fakirs and the thieves and the vicious
and unfit of the Christian Orient crowded
and shouted and passed; filth was under
foot, pots of ambiguous liquids rained
carelessly down and the smells were
varied and interesting. Miles and miles
of such streets, whole quarters given over
to kind of weak debauch-and fronting
the cultivated gentlemen and delicate la
dies of the European colony was only the
bold front of the shell of hotels and clubs
and embassies.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-12-25
That Ad Convention

The Age-Herald Advertisers con-
vention in the jefferson theatre on
Thursday evening, in which hte prize
of a handsome pianola was awarded
to the dean of the advertising corps
in Birmingham, John A. Sparrow,
was a decided and distinctive success.
This convention, while permeated
with fun and good humored speeches,
yet had thread of seriousness and
practicability throughout its pro-
cedure. Advertisements Of real merit,
of artistic conception and of beautiful
typographical display were exhibited
and discussed at length, and the prize
awarded was based upon a splendidly
prepared and displayed advertise
ment.
This Age-Herald convention has al
ready had the effect of arousing am
bition among the ad writer's of Bir-
mingham to prepare good copy-copy
which will attract the attention of
newspaper readers and draw custom
ers and produce sales.
The day of slovenly and badly pre-
pared advertisements has passed. Ad-
vertising has become an art and The
Age Herald proposes to continue to
lead in the movement of inspiring
clean, clear-cut, attractive and truth
full advertising.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-12-25

Most of the mines which have been
used in the present war are automatic
and mechanical says writer in Popular
Mechanics Magazine, and have been ex-
ploded by ships striking them. 1t is easy
to lay mines of this type. They are sim
ply run along the deck of a mine-laying
ship in a little carriage and dumped over
hoard. Only the naval authorities know
whether or not mines have been laid by
submarines, although patents have been
taken out for specially designed mines to
be laid by submarines and for providing
submarines with a series of chambers on
each side for holding and launching them,
Each mine is maintained at the desired
depth by an anchor, and by an ingenious
mechanism the mine is caused to stop au-
tomatically when a plumb weight at
tached to the anchor by a sounding line
touches the bottom of the sea. 1t is also
comparatively easy matter to sweep
a certain area where such mines have
been placed, although the work is danger
Gus. English trawlers have been found
admirably suited to this kind OF deep
sea fishing"
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-12-25
THE WHITE JESSAMINE

BY Jorn Bannister Tabb.
I knew she lay above me,
Where the easement all the night
Shone, softened with phosphor glow
OF sympathetic light,
And that her fledgling spirit pure
Was pluming fast for flight.
Each tendril throbbed and quickened
AS / nightly climbed apace,
And could scarce restrain the blossoms
When, near the destined place,
Her gentle whisper thrilled me
Ere l gazcd upon her face.
Wanted, darkling, till the dawn
Should touch me into bloom
While all my being painted
To outpour it's first perfume.
When, 10, a paler flower than mine
Had blossomed in the gloon
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-12-25
From the Cincinnati Enquirer.

NJ the cotton crop of the United
w States for this year, according
to sales at 113c a pound, December l, eX-
ceeds by $7SOO0.O00 the value of the crop
of last year, according to the figures for
the same date, when the product was
quoted at only Csc a pound. This year
crop of IL, 161 ZOO 500-pound bales is 1900, :
900 bales, or $780, 100000 pounds less than
the record crop of last year. These flg-
ures pertain to the cotton independent OF
that portion of it called ''linters," which
is stripped off the cotton seed after the
ginning. 1t is the short staple cotton fiber
which adheres to the seed after the gin
ming, and which is used for cotton batting
and other purposes, including, of late,
and notably, munitions of war.
1t is an interesting fact that these
'1inters" from the cotton seed, scraped
off by machine called Inter. this year
are estimated to produce 3S1,927 bales,
taken from 19S1,141 tons of seed, the lat
ter being valued at $40 ton. Last year.
with 2.473.931 tons of seed produced, the
scrapings to linters amounted TO only 3H,-
141 bales How do We account for this?
Why we are told by those who have
made a study of conditions and results
that it is due to the greater care in the
final scrapings of the seed, to obtain
every possible pound of the aftermath of
the ordinary process of ginning, because
of demands for munitions.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-12-25
HOTEL LOBBIES
Passing of Christmas Eve Racket.

"A few years ago Christmas eve was
the occasion in many southern cities for
an unseemly racket on the streets, but
am glad to say that good order as a rule
prevails now" said T. w. Tyson of WASH
ington, d. c.
Il was in Richmond one Christmas eve
when pandemonium began before dark,
and continued until after midnight. I had
never seen such drunken revels-grown
men blowing tin horns and exploding
cannon crackers. All that has passed. I
am told that Richmond is as decorous on
the night before Christmas as Washing
ton or any other city north of the Poto-
mac I like to see little boys enjoy them
selves in an innocent way, and can put up
with a good deal of noise on their part,
but nothing is so disgusting as to see a
respectable looking young man acting the
roWdy and making a nuisance of himself
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-12-25
Will Live in Florida.

Horton II. Craddock, well known and
esteemed as assistant secretary of the
Southern club and afterward as an at
tache of the Newspaper club, has ac-
cepted position with the Bales
Puncture Plugger company of Indianapo-
lis, as that concerns representative in the
state of Florida. His headquarters will.
be in Jacksonville
L like Birmingham; think it a great
city with great future, and regret to
leave, but l received a flattering offer to
go to Jacksonville. I did not hesitate to
accept" said Mr.. Craddock. 81 have
never been to Jacksonville, but I know it
by reputation as fine city and I suppose
l shall soon feel at home there, though L
shall never lose interest in Birmingham
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-12-25
CURIOSITIES OF COTTON

While we find this shrinkage in the
of last year, we find much greater wealth
rolling into the south. The shrinkage
of volume, according to resultant bales,
was due to two or three causes. In the
first place, the low price of last year,
combined with increased cost of CONNER
cial fertilizer. discouraged many from
planting their usual acreage. Also, less
prices might come this year, which result
has obtained Then there was a general
thought in the cotton belt that owing
to the increased prices for foodstuffs and
fodder it would be well to produce great
er crops of those. That policy was car
ried out, with very good results, as we
have heard, from several states. Pros
perity has waited on wisdom of thought
and action.
Before the civil war the immense possi-
bilties of the by-products of cotton, in
seed, oil, feed for cattle and fertilizer,
were not suspected Millions of tons OF
seed now worth $40 to the ton, were
burned, dumped into rivers and swamps
and left to rot. Through the wizardry
of chemistry later times and recent years
have taught US things of vast economic
value in the seed, and in the "linters' to
the tune of hundreds of millions of. doll
lars. And there are possibilities Of more
advances in the values through discovery
and science such, possibly, as paper from
the stalks.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-12-25
ARTIFICIAL SAUSAGE SKINS

From the January Popular Science
Monthly
A German butcher has recently pat
ented in this country a process for MAX
ing artificial sausage skins from fibers OF
animal sinews According to the inventor
these fibers, which may be purchased
very cheaply from abatoirs, may be
cleaned more thoroughly than the intesti-
nal skim The sinews are digestible, and
it will do no harm if pieces of the skin
are swallowed.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-12-25

experience of war has confirmed, is the
ability of the submarine, by sinking, to-
cover herself with a sufficient thickness
OF water to be absolutely shell-proof. Sha
thus may enjoy an almost perfect inn
munity from gun fire. and she has only to
fear the possible danger that may be
awaiting her at the hands OF a watchful
foe as she rises again. Strange as it may
seem, the operation of coming to the sur
face is far less difficult than that of sub
merging quickly.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-12-25
ssssssssssss,
A FORWARD MISS

1.-THE sweetest story ever told"
Was breathed into her shell-iille ear;
The maid he fain would have and hold
Through many lifting, joyous year.
D
She listened as a pensive smile
Stole gently DER her witching face;
The lover held her hand the while
And eloquently urged his case.
Then, lifting up two starry eyes,
She let him read her inmost thought,
And whispered, Say no more, I'm wise,
Let's see what kind of ring you bought"
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-12-25

Being a secret service man has it's dis
advantages. For instance how would you
like to act as caddy while the President
and his bride INDUCED in an indifferent
same of golf?
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-12-25
FEELS JUST THAT WAY

From the Memphis Commercial-Appea
President Wilson will have his Christ
mas dinner in Virginia. The fact is that
the President is not so particular where
he has his Christmas dinner.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-12-25

Paris is sleeping well o. nights, as the
result of having prepared system OF
defense against enemy aeroplanes and
Zeppelins. London, however, continues to
have bad dreams.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-12-25

BEGINNING THE DAY. thank
Thee. my Father, for the bfrd-sonG,
though the voice be soon hushed;
thank Thee for the flowers, though
the petals be soon fallen. j thank
Thee for my joys, even though they
may be short lived, and for my loved
ones, even though Thou mayst re-
uuire them again. Amen.-H. Nj. Il.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-12-25

Colonel House says he didn't expect the
news of his latest trip to leak out so
soon. Oh, well. Everybody can't be as
secretive as John Lind.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-12-25

Morris w. Bush will make an admira BILE
president of the Birmingham Chamber of
Commerce. A better man for the place
could not have been found.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-12-25

Juarez these days no doubt pays high
for the privilege.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-12-25

Welcome home, American aviators, who
have been securing the skies for France.
According to all reports the airman in
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-12-25

In popular parlance there will be some
thing doing when the republican national
convention meets in Chicago.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-12-25

Now that Congress has made a big APP
preparation for the Muscle Shoals project
will somebody please say how it ever got
such a fool name?
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-12-25

England will not permit hospital sup
plies of any Sort to be shipped to her
enemies. The latest phase of British
"frightfulness.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-12-25

Russia seems to think that the war will
be settled in the eastern theatre. If that S
the case, why doesn't she start something +?
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-12-25

T. r. is back on the front page once
more. Thanks to that Gary dinner and
the billions represented around the
board
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-12-25

The British declare that it would be
preposterous for the Germans to attack
the Suez canal. Still, those efficient Teu-
tons ventured to attack London.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-12-25

1t doesn't require much of strategist
to predict what's going to happen to Sa-
loniM soon.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-12-25
Spelling AN EVENING

Spelling AN EVENING.
I'm glad to hear that the Christmas
book is thing of the past
II thought you were lover of books. >
$50 l am, but I don't believe in dress
ing up a volume to such an extent that
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-12-25

There We're some stormy times aboard
the peace ship, but DR.. Aked escaped
without a scratch
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-12-25

The opponents of Sunday moving pic
lures in Birmingham heckled the city
commissioners until they defeated their
own aims.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-12-25

Daily and Sunday Herald, year 5000
Daily without SUNDAY 400
Daily and Sunday, per month";. .50
Daily and Sunday, three months. l.5O
Weekly Age-Herald. per annum. 80
Sunday Herald, per annum.. 2.00
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-12-25

No communication Will be puDIlsheo
without its authors name. Rejected
manuscript Will not he returned UNI
less stamps are enclosed for that pur-
pose.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-12-25

There is peace in the baseball world, at
any rate Life still holds something to
live for.