davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-08-20
The Park Theatre Fire.

To THE EDITOR or THE SUS-SF; The
removal OF Brooks Brothers from the
corner OF Broadway and Twenty-second
street brings TO mind the burning OF
the Park Theatre, which previously
occupied that site.
The Are occurred on the day Mrs.
Langtry was 10 make her American
debut, and Il Is no, easy. to-day. TO un-
ders,snd the excitement OF the New
York public over that event.
To use the New York vernacu,ar.
Engine II then. as now. lay In East
Eighteenth street. between Broadway
and Fifth avenue II was the crack
company Of the department and COW
cred most Of the principal hotels and
theatres. There was a special building
signal directly connecting the Park
Theatre with Engine IL and when the
nre was discovered his box was AZ
once pulled. Then a slip occurred
somewhere, and Engine II instead OF
heading FOR Broadway n Twenty
second street. which she could easily
have made in less thar two minutes
(she used TO roll in ten seconds after
the receipt 81 an alarm. started due
west on Eighteenth street for Sixth
avenue and Twenty-third street, The
rest IL familiar history. c. A. II.
NEW YORK, August 10
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-08-20

to its authority, can no more b
doubted than that every American
citizen true to his inherited obliga'
tons or true to the oathbound allie
glance assumed at his own voiitiou
will support President WILSON and
the flag in the Just action forced upon
us by repeated and defiant outrages
The main fact has first to be deter
mined accurately and ~oficially.
Is more murder Germany's answer
to us? Is it the answer Of a great civ
ilized nation. wonderful among the
races Of mankind for its efficiency
and legitimate progress, constantly
through the voice Of Its Kaiser point
ing to COP Almighty as the dir<cto.
Of It's military enterprises, continually
assuming and asseverating the divina
sanction?
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-08-20
StOrmbeaten Galveston.

Not long since It was said with
skill Of man that the sea wall, the
causeway and the grade raising with
which Galveston was fortified against
the violence Of wind and wave after
the great hurricane Of 1900 would al
ways insure that city against disa ster.
The sea wall, extending along the
Gulf frJntage OF Galveston. was n
steel ~reenforcei bulwark Of concrete
with a riprap base Of granite blocks (:
the causewuy, two miles in length.
was similarly constructed. and con-
nected Galveston Island with the
Texas mainland and the grade rails
ing lifted the floor Of the city, build.
ings and all, several feet. in some
places nineteen, above the old level.
Galveston was ready for the buffetings
Of the next hurricane and the wide
sweep Of the Gulf waters driven furl-
ously before IL.
In the latter part OF July. 1000. the
elements made such an assault upon
the city as would have played ha voc
with IL but for the outer defence, the
great sea wall. The wind blew sey.
enty-eight miles an hour and the glass
fell 10 $3.50, hut when the TEMPEST
had spent its force the local govern
menr sent out this rea ssuring message
Ia the world Galveston, it's grea,
business interests and It's people have
safely passed. through a most severe
hurricane, and the sen wall proved A
great success So the city on tn,
island had faith. But another tale Ia
now told.
The West Indian hurricane which
smote Galveston on August 10 AMI II
shattered down a thousand feet Of
the massive SEA wall and tumblni IN,
causewny into ruin. Ships In In,
harbor were lifted high by the angry
YEAS and carried inland. In the cit,
ninety-four persons lost their lives
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-08-20
many OF them drowned in the flooded

many OF them drowned in the flooded
streets. With the causeway went the
water mains and railroad trucks
Galveston was cut OF from the main
land. Property worth S1o,oOo,OOO or
more was destroyed.
The elements had prevailed over
man and his works. but the triumph
was by no means overwhelming. In
most places the sea wall held firm
II 1t had no done 30 the casualties
might have been greater than were
recorded in the cataclysm Of 1900,
when 3,OoO people persisted and the
property loss was s25. 1000, Calves.
ton then having a population Of $4,000
(now It exceeds 5O.OOO). But faith
in the sea wall il shaken. An ugly
breach has been made, and through
II the SEA poured and flooded streets
10 a depth of ten feet. Had the hur.
ricane ragged for another day there
would not have been much Of Calves
ton left. for observers say that the
wind blew harder than in the great
storm Of fifteen years ago.
The engineers must be up and doing
again. Galveston Is doomed by It's
situation to many tempests. Mr.. W
J MCGEE OF the United States Geo.
logical Survey said of the towns
topography: "Of all localities on the
Gulf coast Galveston Is most exposed
1t Is the last Of the great natural EN-.
bankments Of the west coast remain.
ing unsubmerged, and hence Is open T.
a wider range OF gales than any
other: II Is the point Of contact be-
tween opposing forces. the land sub
sidence on the one hand and wave
building on the other hand" Man
and the elements are contending fol
the sands where Galveston Is built.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-08-20
The Truth About Mexico.

The series 81 articles upon condi-
tons in Mexico by Mr.. RAYMOND q.
CARROLL which THE SUN Is publishing
gives It's readers an opportunity 10
view the so-callel struggle for lib
erty'' in it's true light. The writer
is a painstaking AMI fearless investi
gator. He sets down facts as he finds
them and paints character precisely
as he sees Il.
A o brutal and sordid STORY
than this OF the greed and rapacity
Of the Mexican leaders who profess
TO be fighting for constitutional gov
ernnent was never told. II can he
plainly @ why most OF them desire
the travesty TO 20 m. Men like VILLA.
who were outlaws. beggarS or poor
devils OF poems before the ''reyolu-
tion," are enriching themselves by
confiscation and plumber, each in the
measure Of his cunning and cruelty.
1t is shown how the brothers VILLA,
Francisco and HIpPoLIro, leave moth
my ~ 'ulIft anu lhht lblI' lue non :
share in fact, Of every industry they
can lay their hands on. banking their
profits, with the aid OF confelentes,
on the American side Of the border.
The lesser bandits. It may b. seen,
take what IL left or overlooked. A
country Astounding In wealth has been
ruined. and hundreds Of thousands oi
MeXicans, ~proprietors, merchants and
poems. have been driven into exile u
become n charge up0n the Unitel
states. There IL no security for either
property or life anywhere. Where
was peace and plenty in northern
Mexico Is now chaos AMI deva station.
The same conditions are known IL
exist in southern Mexico.
II may he gathered from these ar,
tlcles how fatuous II is 10 hope tC
effect the paciticntion of the country
and lay the foundations Of orderly
and responsible government by NEE
negotiation with the C~arrncistas. VII
listas, Iapatistas and their kind, VIII,
are ,l~eslalling Mexico ami quarrcllinc
among themselves,
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-08-20
Is This True OF German Business
Morals?

To u EDITOR OF THE SUS-Sr.
Just one more instance OF the total
absence OF moral perception In the con.
temporary German mind"
How far has this struck into German
commercial practice?
Can a people accustom i'sels 20 this
playing fast and loose in national re,a-
tons and keep It's honor In commercial
AFFAIRS? ! raised that question a While
since in an article written TO- a New
York paper. but the paragraph was not
printed.
Recall the potash case and the Berlin
Governments interference in the free
fulhlment OF a business contract.
Recall the San Francisco insurance
cases and the action OF the German
companies.
Business men are not all agreed that
Kultur has meant ~scrupulous purpose
TO be fair and just even at personal
less.
No Government can train a people In
such principles as these recent DIS
closures reveal, illustrated 40 well IN
Won Bernhard or the book OF the Gen
eral stan. and not nave the evil cut
through every section OF the peoples
life, LAW.
NEW YORK, August 10
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-08-20

To THE EDITOR OF THE SuS-Sir, The
obscurity Of history receives fresh a.
lustratiuns every day. Already the ORR
gin OF the ward "jitney" IL clothed in
doubt although II Is scarcely SIX months
old.
Now The word "rook,e.' which
to me already has a mist about H.
VIII you fix It's origin before it is too
late
Who knows the history 4 Lobster a
la NewhurG? II arose from the recipe
Of "A downtown freight broker and bon
vivant. now, alas. among the departed.
Mr.. benjamin j.. Wenburs.
His f~avorite resort for lunch was
Dslmonico's downtown place on the
corner Of Beaver and South william
streets. n was there that ne created
the celebrated dish and II was there
that Delmonico put II on his bill OF fare
as Lobster a Ia Wenburg. Wenburg
protested against the advertisement. so
Delmonlco reversed the first syllable
and afterward printed 1t Lobster a Ia
Newhurc.
II has nothing to do with the pros
porous city on the Hudson.
BEAVER STREET.
NEW YORK, August 10,
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-08-20
ASKS WHICH TEACHERS
SHOULD GET PENSIONS
Comptroller Uncertain About
Paving Instructors Who
Retired After 1910.

SomDtroll.- p-eraargts. .-..#
Corportrion counsel YESTERDAY .v. mes.
tons az 20 the '~4Ca,t,v % meets
from he teachers news, fund A7.c
Mr. prend.rCast has sd I. s-!.
II. wanted 20 know whea..-- t- -. 4
refuse 10 nav MINUTES o. 81, --.
retired s.r,. 1910 ana Use .aa az
in MS charge fo- hos. " , w., -e-
tired before tina, year
The civ pa~s,o- ,'o-...., "a
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-08-20
FAUL is OF THE MOVIES
Should Film Plays Be More Strictly
Criticised

To THE EDITOR OF THE SUS-Str:
There is a singular satisfaction in read
ing the heading in your correspondence
column. Faults OF the Movies "
Those faults are of such a glsring cha r
acter and they have persisted so long
that the playgoer has been led to Won
der whether the element Of probable
ity and the fact that a certain proper
ton OF the audience is blessed with
some intelligence, Will ever again re-
ceive consideration at the hands OF the
play producers.
II Is not too much TO say that In
the movies" the before mentioned ele-
ment OF probability is scarcely ever In
evidence. and the rubbish that Is shown
on the screen seems TO be built up upon
the supposition that humanity is still
arQuiring It's view OF life from the
Mother Goose tales.
II would seem to the layman that a
movie production should be subject
to the same law Of criticism as pre-
walls In the case Of the spoken drama,
but sue is not the case. The most
atrocious film plays receive favorable
notices In the daily papers, whereas a
spoken drama equally meretricious
would receive the scornful rebuke 1;
merited. The Marriage OF Kitty
the clever play introduced to this coun-
try by dainty Marie Tempest some
years ago. has been butcheSed beyond
recognition in the hlm version. the only
similarity wth the original being found
in the name.
Our sons and daughters will he ha'd
put 10 Il TO understand the praise that
one would rightfully give 10 the almost
perfect production his play received In
It's original form. and remembering the
artistry OF that production. one &:
moved 90 suggest that this resembles
il quite as much as the burlesque oil
olden Bowery days resembles the eS'
quislte pantomlme OF Pilar-Morin and
her associates.
Maybe Mr.. BRADY is right IN pre-
dieting the complete triumph of the
screen play. hut lovers OF the drama
will cling to the hope that there IL ye'
a future for plays in which the lonn
arm Of circumstance is not drawn ou'
To the fracturlng point and acting Il
dominated just a little by the law Of
the eternal fitness OF things.
DRAMArTcCs.
BUFFALO. August 10.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-08-20
OUR BELOVED CENSOR.
The Head OF the Editorial Improve
ment Association Speaks Again.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SuS-Sir: |
feel IL Is incumbent upon me to make
some reply 10 hat column OF letters IN
THE [ REGARDING our Editorial Inn
provement Society. although they should
by rights be considered beneath our
notice.
The communication signed "si Per-
kins' presumes 10 criticise my d!ction
and the grammar he uses In So doing
IS positively strocious wrote for writ
ten, amt for isn't. them as for those
as. don't for doesn't, &c. not to men
t!on the s~i,kening barbarisms OF cooler.
buns rush, bean. fiytrap. &c. with the
meanings OF which l am entirely un-
familiar.
One reader. however. very kindly re-
fcrs TO my letter as a Jewel OF words
] have always tried TO use the best Eng
lish az my command, and am very much
pleased when the result proves So
satisfactory.
! do not want you 10 think l am a
"prig" or anything like that l al
ways enjoy fun dn It's right place.
but l do not believe fun In the form OF
slang should ever enter into our con-
versat!on or writing as you permitted
the word gosh" In az editorial.
And by the way. | wish to inform
YOU that that person. Yspadden Pen
kawe OF New Haven. has absolutely
nothing TO do with our society what
soeyer. Firstly. his English alone would
render him Ineligible. and secondly. our
society. being a new organization. does
not extend beyond the local limits o.
New York and It's precincts up to the
present time.
II Is true We have something very
much like the split inhnit!ve commit
tee he refers to. but II has not been
fully organized as yet.
Now ! wan you to feel that We
are COINS 10 try 10 make thi. society
Of practical use TO all journalists. and
any criticism given by US Is always
done In a kindly spirit.
NARY RErroP.
LINDEN, y. j. August 10.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-08-20
PREPAREDNESS.
An Answer TO Mr.. McCord's Letter on
the Subject.

To THE EDITOR or THE SUN-Sr: Your
| correspondent Mr.. II. II. McCord an
swers me in such genial and candid
fashion that I feel bound to acknowi-
edge his able efforts In 40 far as they
were made In my behalf. To be sure
Mr.. McCord addresses himself more
largely to a certain class OF people
distinguished by the reiteration OF sen
tlmental slop'' which among them passes
muster as thought, to wit. the pacihsts'
as he presently informs US. And In
a%ttributing to me the naive conceit that
the world 10 in a receptive mood for
peace at the present time Mr.. McCord
makes plain in what category he would
place me.
In justice 10 your correspondent let
me confirm his general impression that
my attitude 10 anti-militaristic. EN-
p~hatically yes! SO, IL we are to take
them at their word. is the attitude ot
the French and English In their bloody
dlsapprovai OF the claims OF German
kultur. But while, as I intended. such
an undertone may have been audible IN
my remarks, I would beg to remind
Mr.. McCord that the remarks them
| selves were directed solely against what
I took to be a ais and misleading eyl-
iogism set forth in the editorial col.
umns of THE SUN.
The argument to which ] refer ran
subst 1tially as follows and would seem
to require no further comment to effect
its humiliation in the mind OF n
thinking person On Germany In pre-
pairing with her customary foresight
against a threatened desrth Of medic
inal drugs. t2) When we prepare Tor
illness by tsking In "a supply OF medi-
cine We do not by that act increase our
chances Of becoming III this prepare
| ton is a good thing for Germany. CD
Hence II follows. according TO THE Sun,
that when we prepare for war by taking
In a supply OF war materials and armed
men we do not thereby increase our
chances OF going to war n 90 this
preparation would be a rood thing for
the United States.
In conclusion let me express my re-
greet to Mr.. McCord that he did not ad-
dress his eminently sane remarks TO
some such enthusiastic emb OF the
"gushy paCiist" ilk as might he more
in need OF them. II is not my intention
10 enter into a controversy with him on
the subject OF peace and preparedness.
The fire Of our verbal artillery would
spend Itself bootlessly to the right and
left OF our respective marks. and VIII!
fire when II is obviously impossible to
strike home We would have 10 have the
range OF each other, which at present ls
lacking. Is not this a common basis OF
error In all disputes upon the topic of the
hour? Militarists and pacifsts. do they
In justice 10 themselves hrst define their
ultimate Ideals: do they take care to
clarity their fundamental conceptions u
society? DO they stand on common
ground at all. and II not. how. b,
wrangllns, car they possibly hope TO get
anywhere PAUL B. ScHuMM.
NEW YORK, August Is.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-08-20

The Automohug has N. biggest selection
OF words terms sad phrases descrip.
lively fine.
Hes got every detail right down 20 rs-.
fiction, from "wh-e. base 20 blow.
out" from CLASSY 10 line"
lie knows every car that was ever in.
vented, is price and It's power, AMI
where 1t Is made;
He! tell you Tor how much an hour they
are rented. and what Is allowed IN
the way OF a trade
or al the rank hores our attention vh,
drug, the dead.iest breed is the
Automobug.
The AutomoouE ooz.s out information 70
spec,ing all manner of oils ana sup
plies;
He knows ~hsre tn mi every sasolen.
station, ana where the good roads
are hell sure put YOU wise
But II you should ask him what make ne
Il driving with long explanation n,
tells you HIS fear"
That owing to things that upset his onr.
irving he will no. be alb. to buy
III next year.
For all 81 hts talk Is Just hot air CNuE
chug he's a catalogue owner, the
Automobus. FaEpgRIcK MoxoS.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-08-20
The vcndrd Hes.ians.

To rHE EDITOR ~ rHE suN-Sir, Reply
ing to Mr. F ~Chamb!aiss letter "The
Vcnded Hessians," printed IN THs suS.
would say that 'treachery' vas not the
point in question, but neutrality,
Criticism Of Americas sale Of arms an
munitions as unneutral toward German,
does no; sound we'll In tho mouths OF
people who sold no; merely arms snl
munitions. but the men 10 USE them.
against the colonies struggling for their
Independence. and ~ which colonies
Germany was al peace. AN AMERICAN.
NEW YORK, August Is.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-08-20
SUBWAY CONTRACT
DECISION RESERVED
Justice Shearn Hears Of ..S,in.
shOd' Methods in Board
Of Estimate.
S1.700,0 900 ORDER PASSED

Supreme Court Justice Si..-- lo..a
argument yesterday and r,..r,as ~,
cision on the application ia has.. 81,
H~olbrook. Cabot & Rollins. loves, B.,
ders for the Longacre square ,a.,,,,
Of the Broadway subway. for a w.. =,
mandamus compelling the Boar! o.. -,
timate to execute the contra, .I.s,An
agreed to between the contractor, And
the Public Service Commission
Former Lieutenant-G Governor Thorn,
+. Conway, appearing for the contractor,
told the court that he believed a rcs5l.,,,,
removing from the signed contract
clause permitting the chief engineer n,
the Public Service Commission 10 ar-..
with a contractor on a lump sum r.,
extra work had been slipped thr,ysbu
the Board of Estimate. lie quoted ma
member OF the board As saving ~.
never read subway contracts Unit! a,,.-
they are approved"
Mr.. Conway insisted that tie Bo,rI
OF Estimate has no right tY interior,
with the Public Service Commission ,r
the handling Of subway contracts. b.
cause the rapid transit Law clearly prn.
vides that after the approval = 4 route
by the Board OF Estimate the d., IS Of
that body are ended except as to IN,
appropriation OF money
Justice Shearn asked Ass s,ar, ror
poration Counsel Lehman. appearing FOR
the Board Of Estimate, Z j 49, tue
that the members of tho Board - r..
innate did not cad the forms 90. reso.
buttons placed before them. ard Mr. le..
man replied that he WASH familiar viii
the boards practices.
III these statements ar true. the
board follows pretty riipshod methods
OF procedure. commented tie ,,.l,.
No attempt was made iu YESTERDAY /,
meeting OF the Board 4 Is mat. %, r..
consider the elimination OF g.. '..ut
sum clause. Mr.. Mdthew,ou ssD.. /,
the litigation goes on. and - 'aa., >ey.
ersl months to reach he Court u. AZ.
peals. will the Public S,ry. Comm ;.
sion take no action
Leroy 7. Harkress. the ,.r f.
assistant counsel. replied "rta .u.a
has already granted su .,.I.H 70
All the readNeris.uG e Re E-.s..
way contract. on the application ,. lo..
brook, Cabot & Rollins, and all -" Jn.
tracts are III. same"
Tiiden Adamson, director o: 'r- bu.
reau Of contract sup"rvs.. SAID "a,
seventeen contracts were are tod D. '.s
modification and that II II vas Illegal te
strike out the lump sum aus, p 90
Holbrook contract the same was tue VI
the other sixteen.
The board ratified an order t0r ST.,
200. 900 worth OF subway material. tn,
largest single purchase : for $..-- n.,
worth OF rails and g,rders from tn,
Bethlehem Steel Company.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-08-20
How Dainty American Women Would
LOok In Chinese Costnmesi

To THE EDITOR os THE SUS-Str: II Is
only when We think Of the grotesque
iuartistic costumes OF our wives and
sweethearts" OF yesteryear that we can
call their present shoes and skirts beau
titul styles,
Compare their costumes with the deli
cate. easy, gracious development OF the
Chinese woman and their ~hldeousness is
awful TO thiuk OF.
How dainty, picturesque and restful
our women would look dressed In Chi
nese shoes. pants and coats their fas-
citations then no one could describe.
They would probably excel In beauty
the Chinese women, just as the Chinese
women now surpass them in beauty.
easy movements and graceful mIen.
JAMES u. DEwELL, Jr.
SAN Francisco. Cal. August IS.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-08-20

1,67o,o0o Russian prisoners. Is 1t q
feature OF Russian strategy to m
barrass the Teutonic allies by impos-
ing captive armies upon them? one
might suppose 80. IL the tally of Rus
sian prisoners were correct. In lists
Of casualties 1t will usually be found
that the killed and wounded consid-
erably outnumber the missing. Ac-
cordingly, II nearly 1000. 900 Russians
are in the hands of the Austrians and
Germans. the Russian losses in killed
and wounded would bring the sum Of
casualties up to a figure too stupen-
dous to be credible.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-08-20

O where is the feet which in battl. array
Came up through the NarroVs that proud
summer day,
The neet that had swept all is foes from
the sea
And brourh, us tn. tidinss that cuoa was
free7
Those ships, brsvely name and i~nvinc,.
bic then.
Can never be used to defend us again;
And while we are hoping ana WORKING
for peace
Let not preparations for something else
esessl O. z. e.