davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Ocala evening star., 1915-01-27
COMMENTATOR FOR THE
RAILROAD COMMISSION

81
The Star, having criticised the
state railroad commission good
deal, is glad to find in the Lakeland
Telegram the following reason TO COM
mend it:
An order made by our state rail-
only helps to vindicate it against the
charge of its critics that it is branch
of the state government without value
to the public, but it clips the claws of
the long haul tyranny under which
there have been for many years heavy
and unjust exactions from our mer-
chants and other shippers. A Talla-
hassee dispatch tells of the order and
clearly explains its effect by very
forcible illustration of a freight ship
ment from Lakeland to Tallahassee,
as follows:
A good many complaints have
been received by the commissioners
from time to time as a result of the
railroad companies in taking a ship
ment a roundabout route when it
could have been delivered by much
shorter and cheaper route. For ex-
ample, shipment is received at Lake
land by the Atlantic Coast Line for
delivery at Tallahassee. The Coast
Line hauls tie shipment to Balm
bridge, Ca, delivers it there to the
Georgia, Florida & Alabama railway.
This route is much longer and carries
"A much higher rate for the transpor-
tation than would have resulted had
the Atlantic Coast Line delivered the
shipment to the Seaboard Air Line at
Live Oak.
The rule now put into effect would
not prohibit the Coast Line from haul
ing the shipment around through
Georgia and then delivering to an
other road for it's return to Tallahas-
see, but it would not allow the road
to make higher charges for hauling
the shipment this longer route than
would be made had the shipment been
handled through Live Oak and then
>over the Seaboard Air Line Railway"
The Ocala evening star., 1915-01-27

reason for building a new electric
plant. They also own their water
works, and it is their intention to
combine the electric and water plants
so that each can help the other. Such
a plant is very desirable, for with it
the city can have many other ad-
vantages-a free swimming pool and
a park, for instance. If properly
built, the combined plant can be so
arranged that a breakdown of both
at the same time will be practically
The Ocala evening star., 1915-01-27

impossible. After this plant is built
and in operation, every increase of
business-every new light or motor
put in-wiIl be gain at large per
cent. Our city, although at a great
disadvantage in some things, is stead
lily growing, and there is almost a
certainty that these disadvantages, or
most of them, viii be overcome and
that we will have largely increased
The Ocala evening star., 1915-01-27

The idea that has many people from
President Wilson down to Mr.. -. =.
, that the United States will be
looked up to, loved and respected by
all the rest of the world when the
war ends-if it keeps out of it's one
of. the saddest mistakes that ever
bIanketed any trusting portion OF
mankind. The Americans will proba-
The Ocala evening star., 1915-01-27
oCALA GERMANS LOYAL
TO THE EMPEROR

A number of our leading German
citizens met this morning and formed
certain resolutions and voted that a
cablegram of cheer and goodwill be
forwarded Immediately to the German
Kaiser and the Fatherland. The fol-
lowing telegram, signed by all pres
ent, was promptly forwarded by the
Postal Telegraph Co., to Count Bern
storff, the German ambassador at
Washington:
"Count Bernstein,
German Ambassador,
Washington, D. C.
Please convey to our beloved Kai-
ser and the Fatherland on this his
birthday our heartfelt wishes for the
ultimate success of German arms.
| (Signed) The Germans of Ocala, Fla
The Ocala evening star., 1915-01-27
Count BernStOn,
German Ambassador,
Washington, d. c..

If we sent battleship along with
the cargoes of cotton would England
stop the road Times Union.
If she did, what then?
The Ocala evening star., 1915-01-27

Continued on Fifth Page)
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-01-03

Christian Association. Lady Jellicoe, wife
OF the British naval commander. presided.
Prof Blles. according to the Yachting
the lecture:
"Our navy might appear to some to
have been of no active use to the country
before the war It might seem that It's
service had been largely passive in that
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-01-03

Its strength had been only OF value in
preventing others from attacking US. But
those who knew Of the development which
had taken place in our warships realized
that the Admiralty. by awaiting itself so
quickly and boldly OF all possible inn
provements during the last fifty years.
had acted as great experimental labora-
tory for the construction OF the mercan-
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-01-03

tile marine. The money spent in ship
construction and engineering in the navy
had been expended probably for the
country.
"The mercantile marine would not have
been nearly such a great wealth produce
ing machine had II not been for the
pioneering work done by the Admiralty.
The last ten years have been prolific in
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-01-03

development, and II can hardly be said
that the type Of battleship has become
fixed, as 1t was in the period prior to
that OF the dreadnought. Some, reading
the newspapers at home. ask why 1t Is
that the navy is doing 80 little, but those
who know are astounded that the navy
has done so much. II Is not TOO much
to say OF Sir John Jellicoe's feet, as Ad-
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-01-03

our arms in such night Il Is difficult
to see what better position VIC should bo
in then than we are to-day While Sir
John Jellicoe can keep the Germans In
such fear that they dare not come out
our fleet will do all It was created TO dc,
and the operation OF digging them out
which Mr.. Churchill has said would -
done, can be postponed"
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-01-03

miral Mahan wrote concerning Nelson's
fleet in relation TO Napoleon's landing
force: That storm beaten fleet upon
which the Grand Army had never set eyes
stood between 1t and the conquest OF the
world
Some look forward 10 the day when
the British feet will meet the German fleet
and fight IL. but except for the glory OF
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-01-03
FLEET HELPS BRITISH TRADE.
PrUf. ,. ". Biics Tells OF Services ia
Merchant Marine.

Sir John II. Biles. better known as
pIei. Biies Of Glasgow University. AN au-
hority on naval construction lectured re-
Gently to the London Central Young Mems
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-01-03
Unusual Sale of
Lace Curtains

AT the Following Extraordinary Prices:
25 pairs-formery $3.50 per pair
$3.50
200 pairs-formerly sl.5O to 1925 per pair
7.5c to &.25
40 pairs formerly $3.50 per pair
$3.50
$50 pairs formerly $2.75 to $500 per pair
$40 to S2.2,5
1856 pairs-formerly S1,5O to s24.OO per pair
Z5c to $1,000
225 pairs-formery 1925 to $500 per pair
&.25 to $500
$50 pairs-formerly $1l,oo to $500 per pair
$3.50 to $3.50
l2o pars-fornerly $16.5o to !s24.OO per pair
$1,000 to SI2.75
Also
Bed Sets, $500, 900 90 800
Formerly $500, $500 and 1915 each
ReUeruble Velour Portieres
Made up with open edges in contrast, I%'S5
ing colors. Formerly $27. 90 per pair
FVth Floor
The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-07-22
Weird and Grotesque,
they're Of Especialln-
terest To the Tourist
Representing Woman's
Precedence Over Man,
Among the Indians.
81 KATHARINE Z. SMITH.

~ NE Of the most interesting SEQ
lions Of the Pacific Coast is that
stretch along the southeastern
~ shores Of Alaska. The water
The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-07-22

which stand at the four corners and
these in the nearby cemetery. This
strange graveyard Is a stones throw
from the village. You push your way
through high. magenta hued nreweed
with blossoms that meet over your
head and you tread ON Iuxuriant
vegetation little dreamed of by those
unacuuainted with the mlldness Of an
Alaskan summer. Here are many
strange Indian graves. each with some
kind OF totem. Many are covered
with wooden boxes, others have fences
and roofs like summer houses. On
some are totem poles, and on other
graves. notably those of the shamcn,
or medicine men, the wooden sarcop-
haRlis is surmounted with the large fig-
ure of an animal painted in dull hues
and, of course. showing the insignia
of the family.
Though this deserted village Of
Kasaan contains the most picturesque
Of the totems they are met with In
other parts OF the country near the
coast. It is q strange fact that few
totems are sound inland. The first
totems seen on the Inside Passage
are those in the quaint village OF
Bella Bella on the Canadian side.
This old Hudson Bay post was q pop
,ular place for fur trading and trade
ton says that the traders would place
their guns upright In the ground and
obtain In exchange a Pile Of furs that
The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-07-22
Copyrieht, 1919, by 90

-oR many years a Post ONCE In
spector's principal work con-
sisted OF stalking that peculiarly
desperate and conscienceless
criminal, the yeggman. whose graz
was blbwing and rihing post once
SAFER In remote sections OF the rurai
districts. yet the trail often leads 70
n1,aar places where a mans life is
worth about as much as that OF
aoufrrel. OF all the experiences look
back upon none clings more tenacious
" to my memory than those that mao
10 do with the months spent In the
mountains of North Carolina Wnere
the majority Of the rnountalneers ehe
out miserable existences by lL1citAy
distiIling that brand OF whiskey known
as ..moonshtne't and on which an IN
tarnaI revenue stamp never appears.
These stirring events occurred at
time when I was attached to the
North Carolina Division, with head
quarters at Greensboro. There had
been q number of robberies OF post
ofices In the rural districts and we
were fully alive to the fact that an
especially brazen band OF yeggmen
were at work. Not only were post
offices being rided of their contents.
but even the banks of several small
towns had been attacked. their safes
dynamited and strong boxes looted Of
all they contained
4. These yeggmen were confining their
Operations to the western part of the
state and 1t was imperative for me to
get to the scene of their operations
with all haste. This meant a trip by
train to Asheville, from which point
I was to make the rest of the journey
on horseback and through noun
famous and densely wooded country
with which was totally unfamiliar.
Before reaching Asheville, however,
i learned that a band OF yeggs had
emerged from their mountain retreats
and struck out for the open, evidently
intending to tap the railroad at some
point and thus insure q quicker get
away. Emboldened by the success
they had met with In ripping rural
post office safes and those of a few
banks in the small towns they passed
through. the yeggs decided that the
browning achievement of this raid
would be to hold up q mail train and
worth while. They evidently were
heading towards Charleston, s. c..
where they could take refuge In a crib
run by q man named Ravens who.
though leading an ostensibly respect
able life, yet, in reality. was one OF
the most notorious fences for bur
glars of tie yegg type in the country.
Ny fears as to their attempt to hold
up train were not long unfounded.
had no sooner reached Asheville
than I learned that a train on the
main line had been held up and while
the yeggs did not succeed In getting
at the safes in the mail and express
cars. nevertheless they did succeed in
The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-07-22
A Post office Inspector Experiences In the North
Carolina Mountains Where He Was Confronted
& By Train Robbers Moonshiner WhoShot
His Hat From His Head, and Later Bya
Thieving Star Route Carrier With
Whom He Battled for His Life
rhe International Syndicate.

giving the passengers the worst scare
of their lives. The messengers In
these cars were better prepared for the
attack than the yeggs had supposed
and a terrific battle followed.
Mail Train Held Up.
The train was stopped In q deep
cut that ran through a dense forest.
The spot chosen was an ideal one for
a hold up. AS the train came to q
stand-still the yeggs attacked the mail
cars and ordered the messenger and
UP on the side of the road. Instead
the clerks opened the doors Of their
cars sufficiently wide to stick the mug
zles OF their rifles through and then
followed a fustllade which caught the
yeggs completely unawares. BY this
time the train crew. realizing that an
o1d-fashioned hold-up was in progress.
ran to the assistance OF the mail and
express clerks and for time a
pitched battle ensued in which bullets
few as thick as hail.
BY rare good luck the shots OF the
yeggs few wide Of their mark and
aside from a few minor injuries the
train crew escaped. The yeggmen.
surprised by the train crew. put up
running fight and managed to escape
in the thicket and, although they were
pursued for several miles. all trace of
them was lost. Later I learned It was
an entirely different gang from the
one operating In the mountain towns.
So returned to AshevilIe and set out
on horseback for my original <,estina-
ton.
AFTER leaving Asheville and setting
out on my solitary trail was soon
lost in the dense forest that was
compelled to. wind my way through
From the first realized what an al
most foolhardy undertaking It was,
but in the Post ONCE Service we learn
early to obey orders and ask no ques-
lions.
I recall riding through this forest
and arriving at q point where the cow
path was following led up a steep
incline. In the distance could hear
bell solemn1y toll. I supposed I
was approaching some little mountain
hamlet where either q school, or
there was farm near and as 1t was
approaching the noon hour the bell
might be ringing to summon the
hands from the fields to dinner.
Hat Shot From My Head.
While cogitating on the cause of
the dolorous toll of the bell that
reached me at brief intervals heard
the crack OF a pistol or rife and be-
fore I knew what had happened my
hat few OFF and dropped to the road.
As I glanced up saw a puff Of smoke
emerging from behind a fallen log
and slowly the form of a man arose
from its crouching position and stand-
ing erect levelled the rifle at my head.
who be you and what yer want
around here?" the wild. unkempt
The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-07-22

reached to the tops. The members of
this tribe buried their dead In small
houses and the totem poles are erected
directly in front OF the graves In or
der to indicate to which clan the de-
ceased belonged. But as the chief
always receives special dignity his
wooden box Is surmounted with a
large carved animal worth going many
miles to see.
The wrangel Poles.
other totem poles can be seen In
the streets of Wrangel, Killisnoo and
Tonga. The Indians in the Silk
raucherie, as the Indian part Of the
town is called. use totem on the
front Of the house and for some rea-
son prefer this to the pole. The house
with totem over the door which shows
in the picture belongs to chief OF the
sitka tribe. Fort Wrangel Is an old
Russian settlement that stands at the
head Of Wrangel Island and it is in
teresting as containing a large num-
Der of totems, some of which belong
to the Thlinket race. The totems at
wrangel are not of the highest order
of carving but the carving is In most
instances continuous to the top and
the one commonly known as the
beaver totem. because surmounted by
a carving of that animal. Is peculiarly
distinctive. In addition to its quaint
totem poles Wrange1 has some Curl
ously marked graves, one being sur
mounted with the huge carving Of a
wolf. Some of the dwellings OF
wrangel have two totem poles, one
representing the male side and the
other the female side of the house.
In ono instance the pole is surmount-
ed loy the image of bear while no
other carvings are shown upon the
column. except the footprints of the
animal, made apparently, while he
climbed to his lofty location. The
whale totem of Wrangel is noted all
along the Pacific Coast. It is eighty
feet high, covered with moss and
lichen, and a great black whale is
perched on top. Chief Katishau has
two deliberately carved totems painted
In dull reds. blues and black before
his somewhat modern wooden resi-
denca which boasts OF two .'bay win
dows." Chief Shake takes pride In a
tall pole with a frog on top and the
sides of the pole are carved with the
tmnrint OF human feet ascending and
descending.
Elaborate Carving a Feature.
Most OF the totem poles of Alaska
are carved on the sides and hold on
the top the figure of an animal.-the
frog. toad, bear or whale being favor
ties because these with tho raven and
eagle are the chief representatives.
ana. MS tradition relates the progeni-
tors. These animals are sort OF in
sigma and in commingling as In the
case of marriages they become the
family crest. Most Of the poles are
from twenty to sixty feet high. and
u b 4 tal
The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-07-22

looking creature inquired as he kept
his gun trained on me. told him I
was complete stranger In these parts
and that was trying to make my
way to little hamlet about twenty
miles distant which hoped to reach
before nightfall. He wasn't altogeth-
er satisfied and set to work to turn
my pockets inside out. as well as ex-
anime the contents of my saddle bags.
He finally turned to me and in that
queer drawl peculiar to the residents
of the Carolina mountains. remarked:
.T thought you might be one of them
ID Revenues and we don't want
them kind Of critters prowling about
these here mountains"
I continued on my way and after
reaching my destination and looking
over the post offices that had been
robbed discovered that the Jobs car
The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-07-22

railroad and took the first train could
get for Charleston. S. c. Sure enough
at the cribs run by this man Ravens
I picked up clews as to the where
abouts of my three yeggmen and aft
er a furious fight arrested them and
waited until all three were convicted
and sent away for long terms.
New Mail Robbery Reported.
No sooner had finished UP my
work In Charleston than learned that
a big mail robbery had been perpe-
trated somewhere between Asheville
and Burnsyille, N. C.. The road winds
through some of the widest country
In that remote section. It was in the
dead of winter and the trip was a
hard one. A star route carrier.
Charles Gilbert by name. had been
held up and robbed. Burnsville has
several thriving manufacturing In
The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-07-22

dnatriea and Z was surprised to learn
that among the loot STE. 900 in negou-
able securities and $1,000 in cash had
been stolen. When Gilbert reported
the robbery he produced the mail
pouch which had been slit with q
knife and the registered packages thus
extracted. Gilbert was so graphic IN
his description of the hold-up ana OF
the men who had participated in Il.
that from the first my suspicious were
aroused. / made him go over the
story time and again and each time ne
repeated 1t noticed he added some
dramatic little feature that he mao
omitted in his previous recitais-
OF course, ! never permitted mn.
to suspect for a second that doubted
f,is word. and he was permitted to
return to his route. taking the mail
to huntsville one day and returning
the next to Asheville. But he was
rarely out of my sight. camped on
his trial day and night and ali along
the route, especially in tho more
densely wooded spots I would secret
myself and watch him pass along.
might add that nearly froze to death
while maintaining these lonely vigls
above the bleak mountain ROADS
one day my long system of espion-
a1e bore fruit. I saw Gilbert ap-
proaching along tho lonely mountain
trail. He was riding the same horse
he had started out from Ashevtlie on
the day before, and both horse and
rider looked pretty well tagged I
noticed that every few PAGES he would
glance back furtively as though he
feared he was being followed. sud
denly he veered from the beaten tran
and made detour into the dense
.57 ~ 90 n
thicklv wooded clump he dismounted
ana tyine his horse to tree. set
orr on foot down the mountains side.
+ was close behind him all the time.
After scrambling through the under
orovth for q considerable distance he
eyoarred into an open space and APP
nroached the brink Of a precipice. the
sides of which were almost perpen-
dicular. It was necessary for him to
lower himself down into this gulch by
m cans of the scrub oaks that lined
-, q. stdes and none but dexterous
cIInohar could have made the descent.
So, one false step would have meant
instant death.
IVA was at the edge Of the precipice.
.+,-a+cbed full length. and from my
vantage point peering over into Its
de-,tl1s and watching his every move.
Ffnally saw him reach q spot where
he commenced TO SCRATCH ~ AZ
tI,e leaves. He then took sharp
stick st and began to dig. In q few
moments mon. he brought to the surface
= tin box which he closely examined.
This he unlocked and peering INTO It's
interior he Withdrew a. carefully
wrapped package which he also close
~ scrutinized. Evidently finding the
contents intact he relocked the box.
tnc,Sed itsunder his arm and then be-
gan his ascent. which was little less
than a hand over hand climb from ON
wav back from the edge of the citn
to big tree. behind which took
up my stand with my pistol trained
on the spot I knew Gilbert would
climb to as he dragged himself to
the top Of the cliff.
Made Him Prisoner.
AS Gilbert again reached terra
hrrna. ana stood erect, sprang from
my hiding place. ordering Hands
The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-07-22

MANY tail totem poles carved in gro
tesoue figures and painted in dull reds.
yeilows and blues. This is q sugges-
ton of the totem pole village. but
suggestion merely. The ISOLATION,
solitude, weird appearance of the
strange poles, background of high
mountains, foreground of sea are all
parts OF a picture that appeals strong
" to the aesthetic instinct The huts
show signs OF habitation. Here is q
bit of broken pottery, there q chest
decorated with totems. fish board
carved with the head and tail Of a
salmon. You will not stop at these.
You win move quickly to the depres~
sion in the center of the building
which is used as fireplace and VIII