davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-01-10
Operating Official Of Water Power
Company Shudders at Chances
Taken by Young People on
Skates, Near the Plant.
DEFINES SAFETY LIMITS
Says Only Way to Stop Hazards is
bf Warnings Given, Through
Newspapers In Hope They
viii be Observed.

Some skater. maybe dozen of
them at once, is going to get drowned
around here, and what to do to pre-
vent it, don't know" said an oper-
ating official of the water power
company as he looked out of pow
er house window over the forebay
yesterday. r
ice conditions in the forebay are
constantly changing" he continued,
"and what is perfectly safe place
this afternoon may be very dan
gerous place tomorrow forenoon. 1t
looks like fine place and perfectly
safe. but while it is really a fine
skating rink, it is not safe at all by
a dam site. A thousand dollars
would not tempt me to allow my son
or daughter to skate down there
where those young people are now.
PerslstIng In Danger.
"The company can't do anything
about It. We have no power to pre-
vent people using the river for boat
ing, fishing or skating, If we wanted
WulCil VIC w uoI. IL SihC "hoAO
town comes down and browns itself
in the forebay, we are not responsible
in law, and not responsible morally
either, because we simply could not
drive them off If we tried ever SO
hard. It would take a regiment of
soldiers to guard all these square
miles OF Ice around here where It Is
Ior{1nd1v 20 m q
Where is@a safe place for skat-
ers?" asked The Gate City man.
Plenty Of room In the uiver,p
was the answer, "but nobody ought
to skate within a mile above the
dam, and not in any part of the fore
bay. Another thing-that water six
inches from the sea wall on the
Iowa shore is just as many feet deep
as It is out here by the power house.
Keeping close to shore does not
count any more on this ice.
A Warning From an Expert.
1--WE been thinking that something
ought to be done to stop this skating
so close to the water power plant,
and was wondering how to do it
when saw you coming. Tell them
about it in The Gate City and make
it strong-you can't possibly exag-
gerate it, and even after they have
been told about the danger by us
who know, they probably won't pay
any too much attention to- it, But
tell it to them strong, and you and
will have done our duty anyhow, il
some of them do get drowned"
Which duty is hereby performed,
and the warning from an expert with
about the ice there Is passed on to
the public for its serious attention
Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1915-02-11
BAD ROADS VERY EXPENSIVE
Value of Horses and Mules in One
County in Missouri Deteriorated
3 Per Cent Annually.

From the 1910 United States census
reports it is found that the value OF
horses and mules in one county in
Missouri was $S3l ,0H9 The value of
farm vehicles, harness and other
euuipmor' was $375,000, making to-
tai of $1.2OG0S9 The present roads
of the county cause all animals, Vehl'
cles ard harness to deteriQrate three
per cent per annum faster than they
would on improved roads. Three per
cent Of 81 .2oG 0S9 IS S361S2
This is only one source of loss
which the county must bear every
wear on account of bad roads Again
the cost per ton mile for hauling on
the roads in the county is 30 cents,
while the cost on good roads Is only
II cents per ton mile, thus saving
16 cents per ton mile.
There are about one hundred thou.
sand tons hauled an average of five
miles in the county; Is per cent of
this amount would be over improved
roads provided the present bond issue
carries.
Seventy-five per cent of the 100000
tons equal $4,000 tons.
This amount hauled five miles rep.
resents 375, 600 ton miles; $4,000 tons
multiplied by 16 cents equals 100000
plus $36,1S2 equals $96,1S2 total an.
nual loss on account of present roads
as compared to improved roads. This
main or heavily travelled roads of the
county were improved.
Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1915-02-11
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. as$'sa3
READING THE WILL
BY ALVAH JORDAN GARTH.

And to each of my four loving and
devoted nieces, framed portrait OF
myself, to be enlarged from my cabi-
net photograph, for which and other
purposes a fund has been given by
me to my executor. hope they Will
treasure the portrait in their posses
sion and memories in remembrance
of me-"
THE cheap old hunks!" viciously
Kissed Mary Winsted to her sister,
Nettie.
Its shameful" was the angry re-
sponse.
After leaving all that money to the
theological seminary" almost sobbed
Esther Daltcn to her cousin, Alice
Rowe, who sat by her side.
Dear old uncle!" spoke Alice soft
ly. "He was good to all Of US when
he was alive He gave me my piano,
you know. and there hasn't been
Christmas for five years past that he
hasn't made us all handsome and eX-
pensive gifts of jewelry and the like
Esther shrugged her shoulders un-
der the 5000 sealskin coat that Uncle
Robert had given her only few
weeks before his death. Then she
smiled sweetly at Mary and Nettie.
She was glad to see the owners OF
those angry faces disappointed in
their lofty hopes of rich legacy.
The reading of the will of old Rob-
Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1915-02-11
ROAD >
E)GE.l.: I. E|)Ikl(G5
CONSTRUCTOR OF A CULVERT
Consideration Of Economy and Safety
Demands Employment Of Other
Material Than Wood.

BY far the greater number OF cul-
verts and BRIDGES on our public roads
have span Of less than lifty feet, In
the past these structures have, in gen
eral, been built of wood, but lumber 50
expose in this dry climate is subject
to rapid decay, writes Walter Graham
in Denver Field and Farm. Conse-
quently these structures require
great deal of repair and frequent re-
newals. The eVer-increasng price OF
lumber is making the further use of
wood for this class of structures more
and more indefensible. The loads
which our highway structures are
called upon to sustain are also lncreaS'
ing, In many of our agricultural To-
caltics the movement of steam road
rcll,rs and heavy traction engines is
seriously hampcred because of weak
bridges and culverts. Consideration
of economy and safety demands the
use oS other materials than wood IN
the construction Of culvCrtS and
bridges.
Durability is of the greatest eCono'
mic Importance. In many sections
large proportion of the annual road
levy is expended in repair and renewal
Of wCCdcn culvcrts and minor bridges,
and ii is not unusual to find this prac-
tice defended on the ground that the
county or district cannot AFFORD TO
build the hi&hcrprlcCd permanent cnl'
verts This notion is simply false
sense of economy. True, the first cost
of the permanent structure is greater,
but there the outlay ends, while with
wooden Culverts there is large an
nual outlay for repair, as well as ire
Qucnt renewals, Anyone Interested In
road Improvement will find it most III
tercsting to secure the following data
for his own county or district: 1h'
number Of culvcrts, cost of labor ana
material for repair and renewal cach
year. average life of wooden CulVerls
and the ordinary life of wooden brldg"
floors Then he could compute how
long It would be before the actual
present expenditure would pay for per
manont Culverts.
atcr improvements in the manuiac-
ture of iron have made this material
more generally available for use in cul-
vert construction A special quality OF
iron very low in carbon, resists cor
rogicr so well as to make its use ad,
yisablr in many cases and this is an
important point for the irrigated dis.
tricts The cutting away of the soII
bv fhc water at the inlet or outlet OF
a clay or cement pipe is often respon.
sible for its progressive breakdown
and partial exposures of this charac-
ter are extremely dangerous in time
of freshet to any form Of con 'truction
It is doubtful whether the majority OF
prsctical roadbuildo,s have given con.
sid,ration to the fact that by building
suitable wing walls for any bridge or
pipe they can very largely increase its
carving capacity. a N.shap"d en-
trancr.way so increases the velocity
Of tlr water as to enable a given con-
duit to perform the work Of one of
much larger diameter which has an
md wall at right angles to the flow
Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1915-02-11
Differing Forms of Speech.

The common objects and phenomena
of nature are often differently named
in English and American. Such Amer
icanisms as creek and run for small
streams are practically unknown In
England, and the English moor is
stranger in the United States. The
Englishman is naturally but little ia.
miliar with bayou, gulch, gully, canyon,
butte, divide and bluff. He knows the
meaning of sound (e. G. Long Island
sounO, but always uses channel in
place of it..
In the same way the American
knows the meaning Of the English bog.
but almost always uses swamp or
marsh Gotten elided to NASH. Foot
hill is an Americanism, so is cold
snap, so also are prairie, backwoods,
flats and neck lin the sense of peninsu-
LAY. The Englishman seldom, if ever,
describes a severe storm as hurri.
cane, a cyclone, tornado or blizzard.
He does rot say that the temperature
Is 20 degrees or that the thermometer
or the mercury is at 20 degrees, but
that there are three degrees Of frost,
He calls ice water iced water.
Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1915-02-11
Mo!eskin Is Profitable.

Moleskins have been extensively
used in this country during the last
few years in making fur garments,
and practically all of the supply has
been imported from Europe. In the
belief that the common mole of east
ern United States produces fur of
equal value, skins were submitted to
professional furriers, who stated that
the quality is superior to the foreign
product. A report on the economic
status of the eastern species was pub
lished during the year The mole in
habiting the northwestern coast is
larger than the common eastern spe-
cies, and number of these have been
collected in order to obtain report
on the quality of the pelt If the tex
ture of the fur proves to be as good as
that of the eastern animal, there is no
reason why trappers should not secure
a good income by capturing these ami
mails, as the area they inhabit is ex-
tensive. In many localities an acre
of ground supports as many as hum
dred individuals. If this little animal
can be profitably trapped for its fur
the problem of freeing agricultural
areas from it will practically be
solved.
Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1915-02-11
The Practice of Kjckinu.

Kicking, like charity, should begin at
home 1t ought to be the duty of every.
body at home to object, persistently
and effectively, to the specific over
crowded street car, the badly paved
road, the encroaching doorstep, the
neglected yard, the malodorous cess
pool, the irresponsible motor car and
the reckless railroad-especially If he
have any personal part in the main.
tenance of similar abuses. If the ten
dency of these evils were rightly ap-
pretended, if part only of the ef.
fort that is expended, presumably, IN
objecting to generalized, foreign and
futile subjects were bestowed on spe-
cific and tangible details, If we would
forego the emotional pleasure of the
impersonal "muckrake" to assail the
evil at our very feet-especially II
each ore of us were careful to avoid
offense in matters of the same kind
our country would surely be a much
fairer Cne.-Unpopular Review.
Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1915-02-11

an enough to pay his fare to Chicago.
He was crossing the ferry to take the
train at Jersey City, when an unfor
tunate outCast, woman passenger,
Jumped overheard in a desperate at
tempt at suicide Peter bravely leaped
after and rescued her. He was damp
and uncomfortable the first stage OF
his train journey. Then came the
appalling discovery that his soaking
in the river had blurred out the pre-
cious penciled address that was his
only clue to Jessie.
Then came a month In Chicago
where the inexperienced lad patrolled
the city streets, seeking the lady of
his love, to meet with bitter, utter
disapnointment He spent his last
dollar advertising for her without re
suit He finally gave up the disheart.
pning quest. Peter shuddered when
he recalled the wretched woman on
the ferry boat Then again, Jessie
might be dead, or-wedded to anoth'
er, All Peter could do now was to
try and keep body and soul together
through odd jobs. At home he had
mastered the bakers trade, but his
speciality lay in Scotch edibles only,
and nobody seemed to want such fare
at American restaurants.
Now, this especial bleak evening
Peter was at the last extremity. He
was cold, sleepy, hungry. AS he was
passing a large dark building, how
ever, his eye frightened. 1t had two
bulletin boards at it's front. Each OF
these held a placard of some kind, in
the center of which, plainly visible
even at a distance, was the counter
felt presentment of a huge Scotch
thistle
"Certes, the sight warns the
cookies O. my heart" breathed Peter
raptly, and as he came nearer he dis.
covered that the placards announced
a Robert Burns birthday concert the
following evening.
ITS like a whiff O hame,' contin'
ued Peter. Draw Bobby! I'm DOT O
sich festivities at the present time
but a mans man for that, an III
take heart O. cheer" and seating him
self on the cold stone steps Peter be-
gan to warble out cheerily, "Ye Banks
and Braes O. Bonny Doom"
"Hech, mon! but ye're frae Dunn
barton, l ken?"
Peter jumped up to observe a
frowsy ancient head stuck out past
halfopen door.
"Ye hae the burr O. the same!"
cried Peter.
Coon in" invited the other, with
commiserating glance over Peter, and
he admitted him, closed and locked
the door after him and led him into
the basement of the hall which
seemed given over to kitchen uses
Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1915-02-11
Folks Good Opinion.

Few persons do not value the good
opinion of others. Pulling down the
character Of someone Is not the way
to build up your own; the ruin OF an
other does not mean your building up.
There are some who appear to think
anothers possessions something taken
from themselves. This is a mistake.
To point out an error in anothers
character is not to prove a correspond
ing virtue in ones own. If we decry
another for being miserly, of disagree
able disposition, extravagant or stu
pid, and expect the hearer to see the
corresponding virtue in ourselves,
we need to learn that this is not what
the hearer usually sees. Rather he
thinks how unkind such talk is and
attention is called to failings in the
speaker which would probably other
wise not have been noticed. Let your
chief aim be to make yourself. worthy
of the good opinion of others. Belt
tling them is plain acknowledg-
ment of conscious fault of your own.
The way to win the good opinion of
others is to be worthy of it. If you
are you will not need to call attention
to it.--Milwaukee Journal
Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1915-02-11

ert Burr ended, all interest Of most
of the relatives present died out, for
he had favored few of them, and those
with no marked liberality. There was
a great confab at the Dalton home
that evening. Alice was an orphan
and lived with the Daltons. The Win
steds lived only next door, and Mary
and Nettie came over to discuss the
great event of the day and abuse their
dead relative.
"Humph! his old portrait can go to
the barn loft, for all I'll hinder de-
clared Mary, spitefully.
"In loving remembrance! quoted
Nettie, sneeringly. 81 hope some one
smashes a stepladder in it when they
go to hang it in my ROOM"
"I shall retire my precious legacy
as soon as the decent period Of mourn
ing has passed." observed Esther,
cily, as though she were Furnishing
the relative who had failed to cater to
her extravagant tastes.
Alice said nothing. She had always
had warm spot in her loyal little
heart for Uncle Robert. She was In
a measure dependent upon the Dal'
tons, but we'll earned her way. Espe'
cially, since the gift of the piano she
had been able to pay fair cash price
for her board besides helping in many
little household duties which the
naughty Esther disdained.
A month later the really priced por'
trait hung in a cherished way in the
poorest room In the house, which of
course was the one to which uncom'
planning Alice was assigned. Esther
had placed her legacy in her brothers
neglected den. The Winsted girls
openly boasted that theirs had found
storage in an unoccupied servants
room. Then there came along one
Worth Davenal, and the complexion
of the four young girlish lives was vi.
tally affected by the occurrence.
He was a bright, manly young fel'
low. What pleased the Winsted girls
was that he was reputed rich. He
was the favored nephew of a prosper.
GUS city stockbroker. Esther set her
cap for him at once. This caused a
bitter break in her relation with Mary
and Nettie, and the harmony of the
little coterie of cousins was broken in
upon.
Esther was pretty, but bold as well.
She simply started out to appropriate
the distinguished visitor to the town
all to herself Young Davenal was,
however, no more attentive to her
than to the others. Alice greatly ad-
mired the manly, free-hearted fellow,
and from the first he seemed to enjoy
her company. Twice, however, once
because of necessary attention to
some pupils, and again when Mrs. Daf
ton fell ill and wished some one to
keep her company, Alice disappointed
Mr. Davenal in engagements, and this
seemed to nettle him. 1t was possible
that Esther created some false i'm
preston in his mind as to the true
facts of the case. At all events he
became quite regular escort to Es-
Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1915-02-11
Habit of Judqinq.

The habit of judging is so nearly in
durable, and it's cure is such an almost
interminable process, that we must
concentrate ourselves for long while
on keeping it in check, and this check
is to be found in kind interpretations
We must come to esteem very lightly
our sharp eye for evil, on which per-
haps we once prided ourselves as clev-
erness. We must look at our talent
for analysis of character as dread
full possibility of huge uncharitable-
ness. We are sure to continue to say
clever things, SO long as we continue
to indulge in this analysis; and clever
things are equally sure to be sharp
and acid. We must grow to some.
thing higher and something truer than
quickness in detecting evil.
Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1915-02-11
Some New Ones.

In a recent school examination the
following answers were given to ques-
tions asked:
How fast does the heart beat? Sixty
times a minute.
What is the pulse? The pulse Is
some little muscle that bumps up and
down.
What use is the pulse to physicians?
The doctor feels it to see If he is bet
ter next time.
Name two breeds of dairy cattle and
tell which is best milk producer. An
swer: Bull and cow; the COW is best
milk producer
Name three countries in the Balkan
peninsula and tell why they are of
interest at present Answer: Nicara.
qua, Yucatan and Turkey, and are Of
interest because they are trying to
drive the turkeys out of Europe.
Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1915-02-11
SKIN TROUBLES AND DIET
DermatoIogists Have Made Discovery,
and Give Valuable Advice to
the Afflicted.

There is reason to believe that there
is close connection between many
forms of skin trouble and the diet.
One significant thing Is the singular
stubbornness of many skin disorders
and their mysterious tendency to recur
even when the physician continues the
form of treatment that at first seemed
to act as a cure. Among these rebel
lious skin troubles are acne, eczema,
psoriasis and urticaria. All four dis
eases are likely to respond to treat
ment at first, but too often they return
obstinately, as stream of water re.
turns when it has been swept back by
q broom.
That common characteristic has set
the physicians searching for some
common underlying cause. AS a re-
suit of their Investigations it is gen.
orally believed that there is a direct
relation between the metabolism-that
is to say, the chemical changes by
which food is transformed into body
tissue-and the condition of the skin.
that many kinds Of skin trouble are
dependent on the diet, it is still nec-
essary to experiment with each case
until we have found the particular diet
that is best for it. After that has been
accomplished there is constant need
for the patient to exercise all the self
control he possesses, for these obsti-
nate skin disorders cannot be cured in
a few days or even few weeks.
A regulated diet does not mean sim
ply going without this or adding that
article of food One leading dermatol-
ogist has defined it as such a regula-
tion of the quantity and quality of food
and drink, its mode Of preparation,
and the time and method of its con-
sumption as shall conduce to the res
toration and maintenance of the health
of the body, including the skin" The
patient, therefore, must cooperate
faithfully with his physician or the
cure will fail-Youth's Companion.
Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1915-02-11
aa's@S@s@s@s
IT WAS REAL LOVE
By MYRTLE BAIRD WEBSTER.

Peter Lowden was disappointed
man He had been six months in the
United States and half that time in
Chicago, and it seemed as though that
period had been set aside by some
cruel destiny as a special purgatorial
test for his stanch spirit.
"I'm wearin' ava for a sight of
aud Scotias heather bloom,' he
sighed as from a deep dark pit OF
penury and Encouragement. And
Jessie!-"
That was where honest loyal
Peters heart pnched hardest. He
could philosophize calmly over high
hopes quickly blasted as to sudden
wealth and position in "the new far
countrie." He was content with a
dish of weak brose and an occasional
fnnan haddie--but Jessie, light of his
heart! How he had hoped to wed his
pretty modest fiancee and "buSk her
fine i silken gown and siller ha' to
spare" and now "the Draw moon"
glistened DER weary city street,
Peter penniess and hopeless, and
Jessie-lost!
1t had come about strangely. She.
an orphan, had left the little town
where both had been born a few
months in advance of Peter. She
had written him as agreed only once,
to furnish him with the penciled ad-
dress of the home in Chicago where
she had found employment as a lady's
maid Armed with this, Peter started
to try his own fortunes in America
ana to be near his future bride.
For three months in New York
Peter wore out shoes and patience
looking for work. Finally he saved
Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1915-02-11
Hint for PHOTOGRAPHERS.

Carbonate of soda is an accelerator
for the reducing agent. With most de-
velopers, when they are dissolved
alone in water, the image will ulti-
mately appear, but it will come very
slowly. Add a strong solution of car
Donate of soda to the reducing agent
and water and the image will fairly
leap at you. The reduction OF the
bromide of silver has been tremen-
dously hastened and it is also more
thorough and complete, the negative
having much greater density. This
is the sole mission of carbonate OF
soda in the developer. 1t is to speed
things up and complete the action
Outing. --.sa