davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-08-02
Evidences of General Prosneritv

While war supply orders make ur the bulk of the business which is tax ing the capacity of the big industrial plants, there is an appreciable gain in other lines of production. The ton mage in structural shops turned out in July was the largest of any single month this year, and it is believed that the August record will be still better.
 The bumper crops will cause large increase in railroad earnings and the orders placed in May and June for new rolling stock and other equip ment will be augmented before the end of the year.
 Evidences that this country has en- tered upon a great era of prosperity multiply rapidly. The money value of the 1915 crops as estimated by the government will be fully $10,O00, ,000,- 900, and this will exceed the highest records of any former year.
 In some parts of the United States the demand for labor is already greater than the supply. Last fall the army of the unemployed was larger than ever known before, and even a few months ago there were thousands of idle men in many manufacturing centers. But it is very different now. The last half of 1915 will undoubtedly witness the highest degree of indus trial activity since 1912, and it need bring no surprise if it far exceeds the record of the closing months of that year. As for 1916 all indications point to boom greater than that of 1906-a year of high water mark prosperity.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-08-02
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Jefferson Bank Opens Today

The Jefferson County bank, suc- cessor to the Jefferson County Saw ings bank, which closed its doors dur ing the acute depression of last win ter, will begin business today under exceptionally bright auspices. It has a cash capital of $500, ,0o0-every dol lar paid in, and as the officers and board of directors of the reorganized institution are men of ability and banking experience, the bank is sure to be abundantly successful. Such men would give tone and strength to any great financial concern.
 This statement, officially published, is not only received with satisfaction by those directly affected, but it in- spires the highest confidence on the part of the community at large: "All deposits in the old Jefferson County Savings bank have been converted into cash credits In the new Jefferson County bank. All savings depositors will be paid interest on their money at the regular interest bearing pe- riods, the same as if the bank had never been closed"
 One of the strongest proofs that conditions here were fundamentally soun, even when the business situa- ton throughout the country was un- settled, was the ease with which money necessary for the reorganiza- ton of this bank was raised. The very fact that new capital was forthcom- ing had buoyant effect in local trade andfinancial circles. And the opening of the bank today will mark an impor- tant advance toward complete busi- ness recovery.
 Certain 1t is that everybody will have a good word for the Jefferson County bank. That it will prosper should go without saying.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-08-02
TT PAYS TO PAINT
From the Farm and Home.

From the Farm and Home.
 It pays to paint all permanent buildings that are made of planed lumber and prop erly finished. If tastily colored with paint properly applied. 1t adds greatly to the appearance of the place. This Is 6 source of delight to the owner and helps make the family contented. A building that Is kept well painted will last indefinitely A good grade of paint well applied keeps moisture from entering the wood, and also from reaching the nails. the lack of which allows buildings to become weather-worn and its parts become loose, weak, rotten and misshap&n- A well-painted place Is moro readily sold as buyers prefer a well-kept place and will pay more for such. It pays to paint machinery be- cause of the better appearance, and be- cause 1t will keep the bolts and other parts from rusting or rotting, causing ex- pensive breakdowns and making it diff ficult to repair. It is especially profitable to keep wagons and buggies well painted, for it keeps the wood from checking and the wheels from shrinking. Every time a tire is set 1t puts more dish in the wheel, which wealSens it. For 50 cents year vehicle can be kept tight and be made to last almost as long as one will keep up the painting
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-08-02
Wasted Effort

If romance isn't dead it is no fault of Joshua Reeves of Stoyestown, Pa, And Joshua is a man who might be expected to look kindly upon the lit tie god of propinquity, for Reeves has three pretty daughters, all of them single.
 The Reeves girls, if report be true, although unmarried, are not unwooed. Beaux are plenty around the Reeves home in spite of the Encouragement offered by the disappearing father. Reeves was convinced that there was kissing going on in the parlor of Sum- day nights and attempted again and again to catch the young folks.
 But either the girls were possessed of that remarkable instinct reputed to women, which warned them of his approach, or an ingenius admire1 rigged up periscope which mirrorec the first appearance of his head over the banister.
 But Joshua Reeves being Yankee of more than ordinary inventive genius himself, set his wits to work and evolved a contraption which he calls "resonator." The resonator tele- phones the slightest sound to the old mans room, increasing the sound 1T the process until lovers sigh sounds like the rushing of mighty winds and gentle smack like a distant thun. der-clap.
 So far the resonator is a success but it hasn't solved the problem o1 Joshua Reeves. He knows now that courting is going on in his parlor, bui he has not yet been able to invent 2 way to stop itl
 Did Reeves but realize it this is ar age-long problem-for when youth will a-wooing go, it takes more thar mere resonator to stop them-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-08-02
Forged Passports

That there was any concerted move ment among Germans to start reign of terror in the United States by a series of bomb outrages is doubtful. At least, great many wild rumors of this sort that have been circulated were received with the skepticism they deserved, but the forgery of American passports by German agents seems to have been clearly substan- tiated, and Ambassador Gerard at Berlin has been instructed to bring the attention of the German govern ment to this practice. It is alleged that the passports were furnished to German spies.
 Representatives of the state depart ment have collected evidence to prove the charges and the department also has extensive data compiled from the confessions of German spies arrested in England. The American represen- tations are said to be of a friendly character and do not charge the Ger man government with responsibility but it is thought that authorities in Berlin have been fully cognizant of what was going on and made no ef- fort to stop it.
 The first discovery that forged American passports were being issued to citizens of the belligerent coun- tries was made last fall. Last week 6 German spy who called himself Regi- nald Roland was arrested by British authorities and one of the forged pass. ports was found on his person. He de. clared that it was furnished to hin by a, German officer named Captain Schnipzer. In June, confessed Ger. man spy calling himself Robert Rosenthal, who was arrested while travelling in England as an American made the direct charge that Captain Prieger of the admiralty in Berlin hat offered him an American passport.
 Forgery d passports will never
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-08-02
The Size of Cotton Crop

'1t is remarkable to find how close the government comes to ascertaining the size of the cotton crop month or two before the picking season and still more remark able how close people living in the south come in their guesses." said John J. New man of Washington, D. C. 'I was in Geor- gia in May and asked several cotton men about the probable size of this years crop. The reply in each case was between 12,- 900 and 100000 bales. Later on the United States agricultural department estimated the crop at 12,5o00o0. In July I met a cotton man from Texas in Wash ington and when I asked him about the crop, he said it would be slightly un- der 12000,O0O bales. This same man came within about 100000 bales of calling the figures on the record-breaking crop in 1914 two months before the crop had ma tured
 q am told that the decrease in the use by fertilizer accounts more for the falling off in this year crop than the decreased acreage, although that amounts to b per cent''
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-08-02
STEEL ORDERS PILE UP
From the Wall Street Journal.

From the Wall Street Journal.
 From a thorough investigation of the situation, Dow, Jones & Co. are able to add to their previous announcement that Bethlehem Steel had orders for s15o, ,000, ,00o, that in the past few days another sl0o,00O,ooo of orders has been added thereto.
 This makes total of business on the books of the Bethlehem Steel company today of not less than s250.00 900.
 Bethlehem will be able to turn out this business, according to current cal culations, within two years. This means double capacity as compared with a year ago.
 But the company has now 10000 men on It's pay rolls compared with 15,0n0 year ago, and many outside concerns such as Allis-Chalmers and Standard Screw are working on parts for Beth 1ehem Steel account.
 Profits to Bethlehem should be not less than 30 per cent and may mean earnings, if all goes well, of $500 per share for Bethlehem Steers S15,000, ,0O0 common capital.
 There is however. no present inten- | tion of declaring any stock or cash dividend or of acquiring any other pro- perties or making any alliances, except as Bethlehem gives orders for parts tc other corporations that have capacity to work on Bethlehem standards 1 Mr Schwab has the absolute majority | control, owning nearly two thirds, of the preferred and nearly one third Of the common. His position in this re- spect is substantially unchanged sine. the organization of the company.
 Nevertheless, all the advantages vii in time accrue to the benefit of the common stock beyond the per cent paid on the preferred.
 A few weeks ago the structural steel rail and domestic plants of Bethlehem were working at only 60 per cent oi their capacity. Today every department Is working at 100 per cent capacity.
 The situation in Bethlehem Is the key to what the British government Is do. ing here since the arrival of it's rep. resentatiye, Mr~ Thomas. on this sidt | of the water.
 l The real benefits of the recent wsl orders should not be looked for in the few shares of Bethlehem Steel common that may be, afloat in the street ant which may receive no dividends fo, many months.
 The real benefit from these large wal orders will be reflected in the genera business of the whole country.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-08-02
RURAL MAIL BY AUTO

From the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
 The familiar horse and cart of the rural
 mailman Is gradually to give way to thd ffeeter automobile. The postoffice depart1
 ment has ordered the new service to be-
 gin next week. Routes selected in soms
 half dozen states will see the first ma1
 chimes.
 Great as rural mail delivery is, 1t i'd
 merely in it's infancy so far as its pos.a-
 bility of service Is concerned. Such q delivery may be a dozen or a score o1 years hence no prophet could foretell. One aspect of the new venture has not
 been given the prominence it deservesl
 This is it's relation to the movement fo1 i better highways. Whether announced definitely or not, it is safe to say that
 this experimental auto delivery servios
 will be installed only on improved thor oughfares. From the beginning rural de- livery has been & strong influence in favor
 of better country roads, and the point will
 be emphasized anew when motor cars threaten to displace horse drawn vel hioles
 If. for instance, dweller on a paved thoroughfare gets his morning mail each day by o'clock, while an acquaintancd of his few miles away dwelling on an unirnproved dirt road never gets his be- fore l in the afternoon, the man on the dirt road will soon be inquiring the real son why. And if, as is probable, the diff
 ference lies in the character of the high-
 way, he is pretty certain to become q | better roads advocate instanter.
 | Automobile delivery of rural mail should mean better economy, as well as better service to the public. It is particularly 1 opportune because of the widening utility | of the parcel post. It would not have been | possible, however. a dozen years ago. 1 even assuming that motor car develop
 ment had then reached the point of adap1 1 liability to the service. For auto delivery presupposes excellent highways. And ir| l the presupposition perhaps lies one of thd
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-08-02
Regarding Mine Disasters

During the past 15 or 20 years some progress has been made in minimizing explosions in coal mines, but until very recently most disasters were considered only as facts of God"
 The late J. A. Holmes, chief of the United States bureau of mines, had given the best years of his life in striv- ing to educate mine workers to the ab- solute necessity of taking care" He emphasized the idea that catastro- phes would seldom or never occur if those who worked as coal diggers or those employed as foremen would use the means there were at hand to pre- vent coal dust explosions.
 George s. Rice, chief engineer of the bureau, has issued an instructive and timely bulletin on mine explosions which appears in full in today's Age Herald. "In spite of all that has been said and written about the prevention of explosions" he remarks, "it must be admitted that unsatisfactory prog ress has been made in this country in lessening the number of dust ex- plosions." He said further that of out of 100 typical mines examined in one state only 15 were taking any pre- cautions, and in only few of these was there enough systematic hu- midifying or watering to give reason able assurance that the coal dust, al- ways present in coal mine, was ren- dered nonignitable."
 The time will never come when such thing as mine disaster will be unknown. But carelessness or indif. ference accounts for most of the ia. tai explosions.
 MT. Rice's remarks will be reat with interest by every coal operator every superintendent and every in telligent miner. But reading win dt no good unless those directly con
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-08-02
SOuth,s Grain Production

Nothing published about the south re- gently has attracted so much attention as the statement based on government fig ures that the volume of the south's grain crops this year would exceed the value of the greatest cotton crop ever raised ' said J. S. Barton of Chicago.
 Allowing for the fact that several of the states grouped as southern are big corn and wheat producers and raise little or no cotton, 1t is nevertheless a remark able record the south is making in crop dlversification.
 "I understand that Alabama will pro- duce 40 or 30 per cent more corn this year than it did last, and 100 per cent more wheat. That the section generally known as the cotton belt should be able in a single year to make such gain in food crops as Is being made in 1915 is of vast I importance from an economic point of view. The low price of cotton last fall drove the south to diversification practice. What was something of misfortune in 1914 will prove real and lasting bless inpt
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-08-02

From the Indianapolis Star.
 If you had read the testimony gath
 cred at an exhaustjFe telephone in- vestigation in Chicago, gentle reader, you could never again pick up the re- ceiver and address the operator without a new and poignant sensation.
 These girls at the other end of .he wire are on a nervous strain which often drives them to collapse, some times into mysteries and once in a while. tortured beyond endurance, one of them utters a scream, throws up her hands and faints away.
 It has long been a tradition of the
 switchboard that it will ruin the sweet
 us who make only a moderate use of
 the instrument know how peevish We are apt to grow over the inevitable de- lays frictions and misunderstanding
 and to live constantly with this fret full barking in ones ears is a strain that might readily work havoc with the calmest mind.
 On the other end of the wire that Is picked up so carelessly or impatiently there may be a young woman who is | too i'll to work, but is responding he roically to some desperate need al | h home; or one who will have but ( cents to spend for her lunch this noon or one who Is momently listening fol | the dread news of a loved one's death
 or one whose heart is breaking with
 troubles that come to all of us. Yet, under al this strain, she Is ex- pected to be sweet and calm, unflag- ging of attention, musical of voice, un
 ruffled in manner. Whosoever is with
 out sin among you, cast the first stone
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-08-02
Good for MontgomerN

We have a hourishing Chamber If Commerce in Montgomery" said Bruce Kennedy. the secretary of that organi- zation, when he was in Birmingham to attend the Jackson highway confer ence a few days ago. "It is a highly eff fcient body and do not know of auy other Chamber of Commerce where all the members are active in fact as well as In name We have a membership of tetween 800 and 900. and most of the mem- bers are eager to work for the upbuilding of Montgomery. Our dues are s25 a year and we seldom have any delinauents.
 Business in Montgomery has kept mp well this year. Even last fall the gen. eral depression was less felt in O Ic city than one might have thought. The merchants are in excellent shape aas the outlook for fall trade is very bright indeed"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-08-02
Much Interest in War

'rrhe chief topic Of conversation among members of various clubs and patrons of hostelries in the downtown section of the city Sunday was the Flu ropean situation at the close of a year of bloody campaigning" remarked H. M. Archibald, Jr-, of Birmingham.
 Almost everywhere one could see groups gathered together discussing with animation consequences of the war as felt at home and abroad. The finan- cial side of the war, I believe, Is re- garded with most interest by business men; and the stupendous figures quoted from war budgets are enough to dazzle the most imaginative statisticiana The practical business man is, to say tie least, almost dumfounded when he at tempts to grasp the enormity of the monetary resources which are being brought into play by the allies and the Germans
 The Age-Heralds Assocaited Press | review of one year of war, however, served to make clear number of phases of the hostilities. Few people l realized the important advantages gained thus far by the Germanic alliAx. At the beginning of the conflict dis patches from the front were greatly | oolored by the London censor; but tue situation is now beginning to clear in so far as the vision of the American correspondent is concerned.
 Tt Is the general opinion here that
 the financial side of the war will prove the most important element, and it is ny belief that with the forces of the op- posing nations so nearly equal in num-
 bers the deciding factor will prove in
 the end to be the ability of English and
 French banks to finance the struggle | for a long period"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-08-02
LUKE M,LUKE SAYS
From the Cincinnati Enquirer.

From the Clnclnnati Gnqulrer.
 When we know anything good about a man we forget to mention 1t to oth- CTS. But when we know anything bad about him we get megaphone and let the world know it.
 A man will stand in front of bar for three hours and enjoy it. But If he has to stand in a street car for 10 minutes on his way home he gets highly indignant
 The girls have just as many freckles as ever but you can't see them through the enamel and powder. The man who grips your fingers un- til they hurt is a pest, but he has it all over the man who takes hold of your hand with paw that feels like dead fish.
 There are aout 9TS654.2S7 ways tc get into trouble. But talking too much is the easiestsway.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-08-02
FULFILLING A WISH

By Ella Wheeler Wilcox. Do you wish the world were better? Le,
 me tell you what to do. Set a watch upon your actions, keeI
 them always straight and true; Rid your mind of selfish notions, lei
 your thought be clean and high. You can make little Eden of thu
 sphere you occupy. Do you wish the world were wiser
 Well, suppose you make start By accommodating wisdom in the scrap.
 book of your heart Do not waste one page on folly; live
 to learn and learn to live, If you want to give men knowledge you must get it ere you give. Do you wish the world were happy
 Then remember day by day Just to scatter seeds of kindness al
 you pass along the way; For the pleasure of the many may b~
 ofttimes traced to one, AS the hand that plants the acoyr shelters armies from the sun.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-08-02
GREED AND DEATH
From the Troy Messenger.

From the Troy Messenger.
 Many cartoons have appeared in the papers in the last few days, giving ideas about the Eastland ship disaster in Chi cago One in the Birmingham Age Herald pictures the ship lying on her side in the water, with a big number of people strug- gling to keep from drowning. Above the ship is big shape of the Almighty Dollar" with the figure of a skull there- on. This bears out the idea that a greed caused the ships overlooking and thus death to the innocent passengers. Another cartoon, taken from the Chicago Herald. shows the heavily laden ship, and the hand of Greed" reaching up to wreck it, the cartoon being headed, The Hand to Blame" It is generally conceded that the lust for gold more gold. sent the 400 peo- pie to their deaths.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-08-02

The manufacture of clothespins is 3 Pennsylvania. The waste from maple and ash lumber cut in the hardwood mills of clothespins in large quantities. Before tho war the pins were shipped to Ger many, Austria and other foreign countries, but the greater part of this export trade has disappeared. The clothespin industry employs native Pennsylvanians exclusive ly. and they earn fairly good wages, most of them working by the piece Strips from boards In the hardwood mills are taken to the pin mill, where they are cut into small are then thrown into chutes leading to the turning machines, run by girls. These machines consume thousands of cubes every hour From the turning machines the blocks go to the slotting machines and are then put in differs. After being dried the pins are placed on polishing drums and rapidly revolyed in soapstone which makes them smooth. The soapstone is then cleaned off and after final drying the pins are ready to be pacxed in boxes of 500. Packers receive 1 cent a box. a-- eraging about 15o boxes a day, although some can pack as many as 250 boxes un- der pressure. A typical Pennsylvania clothespin factory turns out an average of 300 boxes, containing 50O pins each, every day. The factory gets from 45 to 15 cents box for it's nrnd11ct
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-08-02
HOTEL LOBBIES
Visited Georgia

T greatly enjoyed my vocation of a few days" said John Wiegand, leader Of the music at the Tutwiler. who returned Saturday night from Georgia
 visited Savannah, my old home, and spent two days on Tibee Island. one of the finest seaside resorts In the country. The bathing at T1bee was very fine and the crowd of tourists was large. Was it hot in Georgia7 Yes, the heat was about the same as in Birmingham. but we sa- vannah folks do not mind it, just so the bathing is good f'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-08-02

cerned act upon the advice that ex- perts like MT. Rice give.
 It is sincerely hoped, however, that what Mir. Rice says will be pondered and bear good fruit.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-08-02

BEGINNING THE DAY-Lord, in my large companionship with Thee, may prayer come as matter of course, may character grow ineyi tably, may understanding of Thy plans steal into my soul, may work ing together with Thee become na- tural and lovely. In Christ's name. Amen.-H. Nj. E.