davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-04-30
Library and Auditorium

Birmingham does not always get ltopether on questions of large public < concern, but popular sentiment IS overwhelmingly in favor of vast auditorium or convention hall, and the representative citizens who have given 1. careful consideration to the Roden proposition, which would convert the twelve-story steel frame at the corner of Fifth avenue and Eighteenth street into a magnificent municipal building auditorium, library and city hall are practically agreed that an excep- tionally fine opportunity for the de- sired achievement now presents itseH
 Next to an auditorium the city needs from a civic point of view, modern, spacious and elegant library building. If the combination plan IS carried out no city in the south-few in the whole country-would have library so nearly ideal as Birmlng- ham.
 In it's present quarters the library service is highly efficient, but the shelves need restocking. With It's proposed new home the librarya2uld be in greater demand than ever, and contributions to a fund for the pur- chase of needed volumes to bring the institution up to date would come al most spontaneously
 The civic spirit would be keyed up as never before.
 Let's have the municipal building without any unnecessary delay.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-04-30

and officers are excluded, whether Tn uniform or not, and a military man IS never seen.
 Wealth, beauty and fashion have disappeared. Bourgeois crowds in dowdy clothes, most of them women' the wives of shopkeepers and house. wives of the flower middle class v compose the clinetele today. The loss of a few francs is serious to them and the bored croupiers are doubtless tempted to smile at the qualms of such pitiful "pikers" They drink beer and munch sandwiches in the refresh ment rooms, often eating lunches brought from home!
 Newspaper readers are familiar with the changes wrought in London and Paris by the war, but the trans formation is less noticeable and less depressing than the strange spectable presented by Monte Carlo, robbed of the vertiginous gayety which made it a synonym for all that was reckless and worldly.
 The "good old days" are no more
 Maybe the casino is kept open as a matter of sentiment-it could hardly be profitable now-and perhaps Monte Carlo is but waiting for the war to end and the reign of folly to be re- sumed, more madly than ever, because the world is weary of bloodshed and sad thoughts.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-04-30
Shining Light of Journalism

'The Age-Herald is the bright, shining light of southern journalism" said w.
 w. Smith of Gadsden who is travelling
 man who covers the whole south. T buy
 it every day, whether I am in Texas or
 cn the Atlantic seaboard.
 'It is the one truly independent news
 paper in the south The finest thing it
 has recently done was the editorial on
 President Wilson's declaration. That
 showed independent thought and action
 and yet it was right in line with what
 the people of the south think. During the past two or three weeks suppose I have talked to 200 hardware dealers and department store men in Texas and Oklahoma, and out of the whole numoer only two expressed them- selves as being in the least in sympathy with a war with Germany. People do not want war. They want to let Europe alone
 ''My business Is growing to such an eX- tent that I will soon have to make my keadouarters in Dallas, New Orleans or Birmingham, and I have about decided to come to Birmingham, for want to stay in Alabama"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-04-30
It's about time to elect the May queen.
CAPTAIN OF COMIC INDUSTRY

Bud Fisher" says writer in the May American Magazine, Creator of Mutt and Jeff is the highest paid car toonist on earth. He gets s15o,o0O year for making the American people chuckle which is twice what the President gets for shaping their national destiny. Fur thermore, Fisher is troubled neither by international complication nor by office seekers His office is in his hat.
 "For drawing six comic strips a week for 4S weeks year this genial humorist receives $7S,0OO. The rest of his income is made up from vaudeville engagements which bring him 5000 week; the pro- proceeds from five Mutt and Jeff shows and animated cartoons; the sale of an annual Mutt and Jeff book. postcards plaster figures, buttons and other nov. cities.
 "Cn the average it takes Fisher two hours to draw his daily comic strip. fol which he is paid at the rate of s2IO an hour. or nearly $5 minute"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-04-30

By James Whitcomb Riley. Old man never had much to say 'Ceptin' to Jim And Jim was the widest boy he had And the old man jes' wrapped up in
 him! Never heard him speak but once Er twice in my life-and first time was When the army broke out. and Jim he
 went. The old man backin' him, fer three And all at I heard the old man say Was, jes' as we turned to start away Well, good-by, Jim!
 Take keer of yourself" Feared like, he was more satisfied Jes' lookin at Jim And lil1in him all to hisself-like. see?- Cause he was jes' wrapped up in him And over and over mind the day The old man como and stood round in
 the way While we was drillin', a-watchin' Jim And down at the depot a-hearin' him
 say:
 'Well, good-by, Jim!
 Take keer of yourself" There was nothin' about the farm
 Distinguished Jim;
 Neighbors all ust to wonder why
 The old man 'peared wrapped up in
 him; But when Cap Biggle, he writ back At Jim was the bravest boy he had In the whole dern rigiment, white CT
 black, And his fightin' good as his farmin bad. At he had led, with bullet clean Bored through his thigh, and carried the flag Through the. blood;est battle you ever seen The old man wound up letter to him At Cap read to us, at said: Tell Jim Goodbye. And take keep or hissef.'' Jim come home ies' long enough
 To take the Whim
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-04-30
LEAD THEM THIS WAY

From the Montevallo AdVertlser.
 Nod Brace of the Birmingham Age-Her-
 old writes very entertainingly of the worK
 heinz done by the Alabama Bankers as
 sociation for the promotion Of the 1arm-
 ers welfare. He mentions the oeveiop-
 mert of the Demopolis district, stating
 that a wear or two ago the railroads
 hauled no hay except into that district
 while last year they hauled 5oo carioaos
 of hay out of it. He mentions that Tn the
 Mobile section 5,o00.000 Satsuma orange
 trees have been planted and that so many
 of them have already begun bearing that the railroads running out of Mobile have prepared to haul 5000 carloads of oranges ont of that part of Alabama the coming season.
 We are all glad to see different sec tions of the state waking up. But The Age-Herald must not be very well ac-
 ouainted with that part of Alabama con tiguous to Montevallo. If it were 1t could not refrain from pointing the farmer-in- yestor to the great opportunities which await him here Here are excellent farm lands at low prices. Here IS good health, good society, and one of the finest stock raising sections in the state. Here is where burr clover and other grasses vii mak.. cheap meat and provide the farm | CT with sure money crop. Our farmers are beginning to ride in automobiles. too; | out they would be flying in airships ii I they knew now 10 utilize the varied re- sources which surround them in this wonderful and beautiful section.
 1 The only reason this section is not ir che limelight is because the outside world doesn't know what is here--and those on the inside haven't opened theii 1 eyes good. This country Is somewhat like | heaven-it's too good for the crowd tc discover it. We hope The Age Herald
 will not follow the crowd, but direct it.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-04-30
THE OLD MAN AND JIM

At he'd like to go back in the calvery-
 And the old man jes' wrapped up in
 him!
 Jim lowed at he'd had such luck afore Guessed he d tackle her three years more, And the old man give him colt he'd
 raised.
 And followed him over Camp Ben Wade. And laid around for week or so, Watchin' Jim on dress parade Tel finally he rid away. And last he heerd was the old man say
 Well. good-by. Jim! Take keer of yourself! Tux the papers, the old man did.
 A-watchin' fer Jin-
 Fully believin' he'd make his mark
 Some way-jes' wrapped up in him!- And many time the word 'u'd come At stirred him up like the tap of . drum,
 At Petersburg, for instance. where Jim rid right into their canons there. And tux 'em and p'inted 'em tother way, And soclxed it home to the boys in gray. As they scooted fer timber, and on and Jim a lieutenant and one arm gone And the old mans words in his mind all day "Well. good by. Jiml Take keer of yoursefl''
 Think of private. now. perhaps We'll say like Jim Ats clumb clean up to tho shoulder straps And the old man jes wrapped up in him!- Think of him-with the war plum through, And the glorious old Red. White and B1le A-laughin' the news down over Jim And the old man, bendin' over him asss The surgeon. turnin' away with tearssX At hadn't leaked for years and yeara x As the hands of the dyin' boy clung to His fathers, the old voice in his ears Take keer of yourse'f"'
 Well. good-by. Jim!
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-04-30
Railroad President Sets Exampl

Railroad President sets EAdupie
 President F. D. Underwood of the Erie railroad sets wholesome eA- ample in his practical and patriotic view of the organized militia, other wise the National Guard. The guard has been handicapped by the attitude of business concerns, especially large ,corporations, making it impossible Tn most cases for their employees to join Ithe militia.
 While Americans, as rule, have salways admitted as an abstract propo- sition that the strength of this coun- ,+rv's defense lay chiefly in it's citizen soldiery, large employers of young Isnen have seldom been patriotic lsnough to encourage their employees I+o enlist in the National Guard. On the contrary great majority of cor Iporations have made it condition or employment that all men on the pay Iroll must abstain from organized trnilitia service on the ground that the ltime lost in responding to occasional emergency calls and in attendance at summer camps tended not only to dis organize operations in office or mill but that it cost the employer money.
 But the lesson of the European war has caused the people of the United States to realize the necessity of building up a strong system of de- sf fense on land as well as on sea; also to realize the obligation resting on men in high places to make sacri- fice now and then for the public good. Ever since President Wilson an- nounced a preparedness programme and began to urge legislation seeking to make the American navy, in five years, second to none, and to increase our land forces, business men in the great centers of population have taken broader view of the National
 
 \ Guard question. Through Maj. Gen. Leonard Wood and other officers of ahe army the government has been Appealing to employers to relax their rules which prohibit their men from senlisting in the guard and to cooper < Sate in every way possible with those Who are endeavoring to promote the " feparedness movement.
 SThe Erie president, widely recog- ,k V d as one of the ablest and most
 sful transportation executives,
 tted with great public spirit in a notice to the roads 34,202 ! A# Ass that any one of them who
 called upon for duty of any
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-04-30
ChiIdren's Chorus

"The programme on the afternoon or May II for our Music Festival, said Mrs Houston Davis, president of the Music Study club. lis one of the very best we have ever had here. The chil- dren's chorus is short and quite pret- ty, but the other numbers on the pro- gramme are brilliant and beautiful. We have an analysis of both orchestral programmes which we have had hum dreds of made, so that any one wish ing to undestand fully the orchestral numbers of both afternoon and evening may get them by calling at the fifth floor of Cable building. We have had these printed to give to the public because we realize that they are of great educational value. We had them prepared primarily for the literary, music clubs and the students of music, but we will gladly present them to any one who wishes to prepare for these two beautiful programmes. They will be found of incalculable value and most |interesting"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-04-30

H PENSACOLA. Fla, April 29.-of the k% Alabama banker as a broad gauged ~ man, intelligent, far sighted and generous I have been much impressed.
 This banker man has his problems and he is solving them to meet the new order of things. In the field of newness there are the federal reserve banks and the proposed government rurai crecits sys- tenn or land banks All legislation these days seems of the making of men ap- pealing to the farmer class. Some of our legislators are not always wise or busi- ness in their proposed plans, but all alike are eager to educate and better the condition of the farming classes.
 x $ x
 These Alabama bankers who have been in session here are doing a great work in furnishing Mrs. Mathis with the sinews of war to continue her work of featuring to the farming classes of Ala bama and teaching them modern methods and proper diversification.
 The prosperity of the country bank de- pends upon the success of the neighbor- ing farmers, and these Alabama bankers
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-04-30

are behind the educational work to q man.
 A good time the banker men and their wives and daughters have had In Pensa- cola, too. Clean. well paved, architectu- rally attractive, and with hotel-the San Carlos-than which there Is no better in the south-Pensacola is great resort.
 The aviation school of the United States navy, with It's score or more of aeroplanes or seaplanes, and as many young naval officers training in aeronautics, is an in- teresting sight One sees the flyers like great birds in every direction rising from the water for long flights and then glld- ing down and alighting upon the waters of the harbor like sea gulls.
 The aviation corps receives fifty per cent more pay than officers of the same grade in the line There Is excitement and danger and pleasure in it, and the young officers eagerly seek 1t.
 Lieutenant Robert Cabaniss, son of MT. and Mrs. p. H. Cabaniss of Birmingham, is of the aviation corps. to become a full graduate within few weeks. He is making a fine record.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-04-30
z,eJd3,ueQ
ADRIFT WITH THE TirlES
DEAD ONES.

DEAD ONES. Poor Dubb is dead. But do not wall, He's gone where he'll find warmer weather. The other day he tried to nail Two sticks of dynamite together.
 Cincinnati Enquirer. Poor Mutt is dead, hence this lament, And why you see us all in black. For just the other day he went To sleep upon the railroad track.
 Clipped. And Jeff, too, he is dead and gone Of life there is not left spark, He had a headache and he took Bichloride tablets in the dark.
 Memphis Commercial-Appeal And Bryan would be good and dead, And we would have the rest we've pleaded, If he'd preach peace at-any-price In Mexico, where 1t is needed.
 Houston Post 'Tis said the fortunes of T. R. In politics are on the wane; If that should prove to be the truth, I'm very sure we'd not complain.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-04-30
NED BRACE TALKS ABOUT ALABAT1A BANKERS
 IN THEIR ANNUAL CONVENTION AT PENSACOLA

Contrary to the general belief nearly all tho young officers in the aviation corps are married. Those who arc not have great expectations. The increase in pay when going Into this branch of the naval service enables them to main tain home, and the ambition of every navy man is to have one
 # # #
 The Alabama bankers, among whom from Birmingham were Mir. and Mrs. Oscar Wells. MT. and Mrs. Thomas Hop kins. Miss Josephine Evins. Miss Eliza beth Wyman, w. H. Manly, w. K. Clements, s. c. King and Foster Ham, ilton, enjoyed the flights of the avia- tors, inspection of tho battleship North Carolina, a visit to Fort Pickens and Fort Barrancas, where they got view of the great 12-inch disappearing guns, and a trip to the famous pleasure re- sort. Santa Rosa Island.
 Pensacola proved itself an>ideal con vention city.
 AseSd1,oeQ~
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-04-30
Clark Commended

Tt would be impossible to too high ly commend the work of County En- gineer George H. Clark in the con- Istruction of the 140-foot concrete bridge spanning the Cahaba near Lovick," said S. w. Lee yesterday.
 This bridge is the first of its size ever constructed entirely by convict labor, and the work of Engineer Clark was responsible for the success of the work. MT. Clark, too. designed the road leading to the bridge, and is entitled to the lions share of the credit for the success of the celebration held near the bridge Thursday"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-04-30
Gloom at Monte Carlo

The famous casino at Monte Carlo is still open, the beauty of garden and landscape is the same, but the life" that was the most distinctive feature of the resort is gone. It has been swept away by war. The glitter ing throng of wastrels and notables who won and lost fortunes in sin- gle night, the air of opulence and reckless gayety are no more. Soldiers
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-04-30
AN HISTORIC URN

From the Manufacturing JeWeler
 There has just been added to the col lection of historic relics Of the BostohlaA society at the Old State house, Boston silver urn that possesses remarkable historic interest. It is of Sheffield ware globular in form and resting on base that was used in pre-revolutionary tliheS at the old Green Dragon inn, Boston. Il ,nouestionably was used by those wne were instrumental in fomenting tnf American revolution and its contents al that time very likely supplied some ol the inspiration to the plotters in events leading LID to the struggle for liberty.
 The gift was made to the Bostohiai society by Miss Phoebe c. Bradford o' Cambridge, Mass, granddaughter or Mrs George F. Harrington, who TOT mahS years kept a coffee house in Newspaper Row Boston, Mass. Mrs. Harrington bonebt if when the contents of the oic Green Dragon were dispersed. The UT was for many years after the revolutlor in use in the Green Dragon tavern tha' stood on Union street from 1897 to lSaz and which was the meeting place Of the ratriots of the revolution in Boston.
 It was at this tavern that they met te nlot the Boston tea party. The urn lS called a coffee urn, but more likely was used at the tavern to brew the rip ol those days. Inside the urn IS suh .h' cylindrical piece of iron which, "hei heated, kept the liquid contents or th' urn hot until wanted.
 The Green Dragon tavern site IS nov occupied by a business structure ah' is owned by the lodge of St. Andrew on' of the oldest Masonic organizations II tha country. The Green Dragon taverr is intimately associated with the pesii nings of Masonry in this country ah' the urn was exhibited recently at gatn ering of the lodge on St. Andrews Day
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-04-30
The Insurrection in Ireland

While the Irish revolutionists, known as the Sim Feiners, constitute only a small proportion of the people of Ireland, and in no wise represent the nationalist party, of which John Redmond is the parliamentary leader, their lawless methods and their upris- ing under the direction of Sir Roger Easement, believed to be insane, will be seriously felt by the home rule cause which has had the hearty SUD- port of Premier Asquith and his Eng fish liberals.
 Mir. Redmond, in the House of Con- mons, was quick to repudiate the revo- lutionists and to express his feeling of detestation for their crime; and it was a significant fact that Sir Edward Carson, politically in violent opposi- tion to Redmond, joined the latter in asking the public not to hold the na- tionalists responsible for the outbreak
 Years ago when Fenianism was rampant bloody crimes were conn mitted in the name of freedom. But the British government apprehended the ringleaders and made examples o1 them. Since that time Irish nation ism has been promoted only through peaceful agitation and an appeal tc England's sense of justice.
 Shortly before the European val
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-04-30
East and West Highway

T am heartily in favor of an east and west highway running through the coun- ty, and I believe that the First avenue boulevard would make an excellent nu- cleus for such road" said Commis- sioner James Weatherly! "So anxious am to see such road built that I would be willing never to offer myself for pub lie office again if the people only would vote bonds with which to construct such road
 "The First avenue road out as far as Spring street is one of the best in the south, and it coul deasily be extended on to Roebuck through East Lake. This road should go through Birmingham and out to Wylam.
 q think an equitable distribution of such a road would be for the city to pay one-third of the cost, the county one- third, and the property owners one- third "
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-04-30
nliteracy Campaign

'The campaign against illiteracy in
 Alabama is to go on with the same en- ergy in the future as during the past few months" said J. B. Hobdy of the state department of education, who was in Birmingham yesterday. While the sale of illiteracy buttons was closed with the campagins tSday in Bessemer and Tuscaloosa, the work will be prose- cuted in the rural districts and by the school authorities until illiteracy is wiped out of the state.
 Our campaign has been a marked success. We have realized from the sale of the buttons at least as much money as we had expected and we have demon started that with an organized effort
 on the part of the school authorities of the work of the state department of Ieducation, splendid results can be at tained. The demonstrations of the re- suits secured in individual cases have served to remove all doubt as to the ! importance of this campaign. The only thing we must do now is to see that
 we do not let the work lag. We must
 keep up the fight until there is not an adult in the state who cannot read and write.
 1 Aside from the importance of having
 all our citizens know how to read and
 write, the results which follow this ac-
 complishment will be surprising. As
 soon as a former illiterate has acquired ieven this small amount of knowledge his desire to know more is fired. These people begin to read and they acquire Ia vast amount of information. They
 simply start to school at home in their old age. Learning to read and write opens new world to them and we
 should continue our efforts in this di-
 rection with undiminished energy"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-04-30
HOTEL LOBB1ES
Peonle Keen to the Right

"The people of Birmingham are keep ing to the right on the sidewalks" said Chief of Police Martin Eagan yesterday. instructions were given to the patrolmen this morning to enforce that section of the traffic law which provides that pe- destrians must keep to the right on side walks but the officers have experienced no difficulty whatever.
 About the only thing they ever have had to contend with along this line is the people who congregate on the sidewalk and block it. And it is merely necessary to ask such people to move over to the curb, and there has been absolutely no trouble"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-04-30
ANc1ENrs USED GAS IN BArrLE

From the Army and Navy Journal.
 The use of burning and asphyxiating chemicals can be traced back to the time of a Greek writer of 360 B. G., one Aeneas by name, says Med. Inspr.
 George A. Lung. U S. N., in pamph
 let on "AsphyXiating Gases as a Weapon in Warfare which was read originally at the twenty fourth annual meeting of the Association of Military Surgeons of the United States, held at Washington last September. He traces the development of Greek fire, which appears to have had cer tain of the asphyXiating effects of the gases introduced into the present war by the Germans, and remarks that during our own civil war an inventive genius suggested that Petersburg
 might be captured by firing into 1t
 shells loaded with snuff. which would paralyze the Confederate garrison by an epidemic of violent sneezing.