davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Valdez daily prospector., 1916-02-24
WET GUNCOTTON.
More Stable Than Dry and ExpIodes Only From a Severe Shock.

More Stable Than Dry and ExpIodss
 Only From Severe Shock.
 Owing to iis high percentage of nitso-
 't oxide, a1lncotton when exposed to
 .. in q dry state rapidly absorbs oxy-
 rl, from the air and becomes very dangerous. exploding spontaneously or from slight shock. Dry guncottOn i'll unconfined mass merely burns with a flash like gunpowder, only much more rapidly: it does not exert explosive ef- feet unless confined, as in a shell. In it's dry state guncotton is seldom used for primers and detOnators. as it is too unstable and will explode with slight shock or blow.
 The guncotton carried aboard war vessels and submarines for the eX- plosive charge of torpedoes is always wet guncotton. kept in air tight COIL tainers to prevent evaporation of mois- ture. Wet guncotton can be exploded only by severe shock; hence primers or tetonatOrs of some more powerful explosive are necessary, these explod- ing on impact of the torpedo against a ships side and in turn exploding the :,uncotton in the war head. Fifty to 100 pounds is the usual charge of q tor. pedo.
 Ordinarily safe if properly slowed away from heat and kept moist. gun cotton becomes dangerous from liabil- ity to spontaneous explosion when a slight excess of acid is present. and constant and regular tests for acidity are part of the duties of ordnance off cers of War vessels and ammunition depots. Guncotton giving high acid test is promptly condemned and either destroyed or reworked and washed American Druggist.
Valdez daily prospector., 1916-02-24
The Treasury Department.

Alexander Hamilton was the first secretary of the treasury d7S9-35' Michael Hillegas was the first United States treasurer Hillegss was appoint ed to the office July %. 1775. when he and George Clymer were chosen to- sethcr in the formation of what was the germ of the treasury department Hillegas served alone through practical iy his entire term, however. as Clymer soon resigned to take seat as dele gate to congress. Hfllegas' term ex- pired Sept. II, 1789, and he was sue ceeded by Samuel Meredith. Both men were from Pennsylvania. The treasury was formally organized by act of Sept. ?, 1789, but, strictly speaking, this was merely a reorgani' zation, for the department under vari- ous names had been in existence since 1r7E
Valdez daily prospector., 1916-02-24
LAW OLD AND NEW.
A Cynical View of Past Methods and
 Those of tho Present.

ShoSe or tnO FTe6ont.
 Law. more especially criminal law. has usually been an occult science. It is still the practice in Burma, we be- lieve, to give two disputants candles of same time. The one whose candle burns longest gets judgment against the other.
 Less than 100 years ago defendant in an English criminal trial appealed to the ordeal of battle. and the court was more or less surprised to find that rhe ancient law on which he relied had never been repealed.
 Determining q mans guilt or mno- cence by his ability to walk on hot plowshares or carry a hot iron or drink a poisonous decoction or by throwing him bound into water has been practiced for ages among many peoples. The medieval method of let ting accused and accuser fight 1t out with weapoDs was common over Flu rope.
 Our modest ancestors confessed their inability to find the merits of the cause aud so relegated the whole ar fair to the intervention of supernatural agencies.' The main difference Is that we are less modest. Instead of the ordeal of battle or the old key and Bi- bla test oy the sieve witch. we have tue defendant play game of trip the court. If he can catch the judge put ting down an ''i'' dot over in ''e'' he wins and is pronounced innocent.-Saf' uriay Evening Post.
Valdez daily prospector., 1916-02-24
Snuff and ! Crook.

fsoherf Pinkerton once told story of his father. tine founder of tho de- t:.ctive agency. which illtstrates the elder pinkerton's caution. A notcd criminal was detained in Pinkcrtons $ Chicago office. The elder Pinkerton left the room and when he returned took the precaution of holding re- volver in front of him ready for use.
 He saw tho criminal standing by the door witl, a snuffbox he had picked up frcm Pinkerton's desk ip his hand.
 "1'his is good snuff affably re- marked the crook as he took sniff.
 For the eyes or the nose:' asked Pinkerton. who knew that the crook had intended to blind him in an effort to escape
 Well" remarked the criminal. I'm sorry to say that the nose gets 1t this time."
Valdez daily prospector., 1916-02-24
FlexibiIity of English.

English is not only. as Richard Jef. feries asserted, the most expressive and flexible of tongues. but also. in Swinburne's opinion. the most musical. He proclaimed the lines
 Music thar 9entlier on the spirit lies
 Than tired eye)tds upon tired eyes to be unmatched for melody in any language. And few would venture to contradict such d master of music. and tongues. But surely French ranks next on the roll of languages. For clearness of diction ir is unFivaled. and. thanks to it's abundance of vowels (close on one for every consonant,. 1t flows rhRthmically from the tongue.
Valdez daily prospector., 1916-02-24

Andrew GrisWold, who is eXten- sively engaged in fox raising and trading at Sand Point, near unga, was a passenger on the Alameda yes terday en route to the States. He re- ported that severe storms have been raging to the westward for several weeks and that small boats have been compelled to keep close 10 their places of shelter.
Valdez daily prospector., 1916-02-24

The U. s. marshal's office has re- ceiyed advices that Ed Timonen, citizen of Anchorage, had been found insane in Commissioner David's court on February 18th. He will be drought over the winter trail by one of the deputies from the office here and will be taken to the Morningside sanitarium.
Valdez daily prospector., 1916-02-24
: One Lesson Learned.

"In this practice to become soldier your first lesson must be of prompt and unquestioning obedience to your superior officer"
 '"That's all right. captain: I'm mar ried. Whats the next lesson?"-Baltf more American.
Valdez daily prospector., 1916-02-24
An Odd Apology.

This is the classic apology Of cele- brated statesman of the last genera hon: MT. Speaker. in the heat of de- bate l stated that the right honorable gentleman opposite was dishonest and unprincipled adventurer. have now. in a calmer moment, to state that am sorry for it."
Valdez daily prospector., 1916-02-24

Chas. Knoche of Ellamar, who has been spending few days in town on business, returned to the copper city this morning on the Shamrock.
Valdez daily prospector., 1916-02-24

James Hagen was a passenger on the launch Shamrock for Fidalgo bay this morning, having accepted a po- sition with the Alaska Mines Corpo- ration.
Valdez daily prospector., 1916-02-24

In the $hvorce case of Isabel Me Donald vs. Ray Mcdonald, before the district court yesterday afternoon. decree was granted.
Valdez daily prospector., 1916-02-24
rbs Old Family Tree.

What a lot of men get jobs, on the strength of their ancestryr'
 "Yes. A good family tree has pro. duced many . plum!"--New York Tefe. graph. r.',>
Valdez daily prospector., 1916-02-24
rhouahtlsssnsss.

(Which are the pictures in your gal Iery that you value most highly?"
 T dunno," replied Mir. Cnmrox. tMother an the girls told the man to go round and take off the price marks I had put on 'em before had time to learn 'em by heart."-- Washington Star
Valdez daily prospector., 1916-02-24
Don't Miss It.

* Be sure and see that Broadway Masterpiece tonight at the Liberty Theatre '"The Lost House" adapted from the book of the same title by Richard Harding Davis.
Valdez daily prospector., 1916-02-24
The New Zealand Eel.

At d recent meeting of one of the New Zealand acclimatization societies the curator of game farm reported that he had included eels in the list of rermin which caused the death of young pheasants. He gave his assur- ance that no fewer than seventeen young birds had been lost owing to ee}s seizing their heads while they were in the act of drinking creek wa. ter. The deaths of innumerable young ducks had been caused by eels. and it was il common thing to see scores of ducks minus leg, which had been dragged of by these voracious fish.
Valdez daily prospector., 1916-02-24

Ed Hunt is now all ready for bus mess in the Owl Drug tSore. He has a fine new counter.
Valdez daily prospector., 1916-02-24
Best Wishes.

Father. { had fight with Percy Raymond today
 "I know you did replied the father soberly INT. Raymond came to see me about it.
 We'll" said the son, Il hope you came out as we'll as did."--Iadies' Home Journal.
Valdez daily prospector., 1916-02-24
He Had Painted Too.

My dear fellow" said the artist. you can't imagine how much work there was in painting that picture"
 "Oh. yes can." said the young coun try lad. my father made me paint the barn one summer" -.Gt. Louis Post Dispatch.
Valdez daily prospector., 1916-02-24

Furnished rooms at Mrs. crsland 8, Prices reasonable.
Valdez daily prospector., 1916-02-24
ssilI Worse.

Kathryn-I hear that you said was double faced.
 Kittye-l never did. merely said you were doubae -chinhed.-New York Globe '. ...
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-05-10
K. OF c. HOLD MEETING
 IN MOBILE AND ELECT
 OFFICERS FOR YEAR
Birmingham Chosen as 1912 Meeting Place-Two Birmingham Men Are Given Places as
 Officials

Mobile, May Special .)-The Alabama council, Knights of Columbus, convened here today in annual session State Dep- uty Oscar R. Hundley of Birmingham pre- sided. Delegates are represented from Birmingham. Huntsville, Montgomery and this city. At o'clock the delegates were given automobile rides over the county. At o'clock they were the guests of the Gulf Fishing and Hunting club. A ban quet was held at the Battle house at 9 p. m.
 The convention this afternoon elected the following officers: Harris Moriarity, montgomery, state deputy and supreme Knight; H. J. Krebs, Birmingham, treas urer; Sterling A. Wood, Birmingham ad- vocate; James M. King, Mobile, warden.
 The next meeting place will be Bir- mingham in May, 1917.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-05-10
TUSCALOOSA

Tuscaloosa, May 9.-(Special.)-T di- rectors of the Board of Trade last night recommended to the city commission of Tuscaloosa that nunicipally owned wharf be built on the Warrior river im- medately and at a meeting of the city commission today the commissioners de- cided to call election to provide for a bond issue to raise funds to build this wharf
 An unknown negro man was killed last night the Huntsville road near To- lande when a Cadillac automobile turned
 over pinning both him and two negro women underneath In attempting to pass a wagon the driver went too near
 an embankment and turn ed the car over. l According to the county demonstrator and others in Tuscaloosa, who are ac- quainted with conditions here, the farm CTS of Tuscaloosa county have increa sed 1 their cotton acreage this year fully one third over that of last year. The crop l in some places has been damaged by the
 cold weather of late, but on the whole l very little damage has been done and present conditions are considered very good.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-05-10
Worth 20 Cents and Would Circulate in North and
 South America
M'ADOO THINKS IT
 AN EXCELLENT IDEA
Secretary Also Approves the Plan Projected Many Years Ago for Pan-American
 Railroad
By HOLLAND

New York, May 9.-(Special )-Conspicu- ous in the brief and almost informal statement that was made by the Secre- tary of the Treasury, William G. Me- Adoo, immediately after his re+,,rn
 oou'n Amerlca' are two suggestions WHICH appear to be original propositions associated with the development of o,,r political and commercial relations with south America. One is to be found i,, the fact that the international confer ence that Secretary McAdoo attended in ms oftlcial capacity has decided to recom- mend to the various governments which Were represented at the conference Inc adoption of a standard unit of money of account. This unit is to be represented by gold coin which is exactly one-fiftb of the gold dollar of the United States If adopted as money of account if will Secretary McAdoo says, provide a uni form basis of account for transactions between all the Latin-American coun- tries and the United States
 While this recommendation of neces- slty must be made exclusively to the south American nations and the United States, and possibly the Central Amer ican republics and Mexico, and is a new proposition so far as the North and South Aherlcan continents are concerned, nevertheless one similar in principle was made nearly 50 years ago at Paris.
 The international monetary conference which was held at Paris at the time of the exposition in 1867 numbered among its members men who represented the nations of continental Europe, Great Britain and the United States. Conspicu- ous as d leader of thought and action at that conference was Samuel B. Rug gles of New York. In his day, Mr. Rug gles was esteemed one of the ablest of American financiers and his service to the Erie railroad at a time when that company was in desperate straits is now one of the chief traditions of successful performance in rescuing railroad com panies
 MT. Ruggles possessed the unusual gift of digging out the meaning that lay be- hind statistics and figures and then pre- senting this meaning in a most attractive manner, both as regards style and treat ment. He was often compared with Sam -uel- j.. Tilden, whom he. Eesembled physi- ities MT. Ruggles persuaded the inter national monetary conference to recom- mend the adoption of a standard unit which would be represented by a gold coin. This coin would pass at it's face value among the civilized nations or at least those largely engaged in trade. The coin was to have in the United States the value of $5, in England the value of a pound steriIng, in France the value of 25 franc piece, and upon the continent of Europe the value of the
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-05-10
PHILHARMONIC PROGRAMME
 WILL BE MOST BEAUTIFUL
 EVER GIVEN IN BIRMINGHAM
Two Festival Performances Will Given Here Tomorrow Chorus Numbers by Local Singers Will Also Add Interest
 Selections Never Heard Here Before

When the two festival performances are presented at the B1jou tomorrow, under the auspices of the Treble Clef club and the Music Study club chorus, the most beautiful programmes ever offered in Bir- mingham, according to local musicians, will be rendered And the music lovers of Birmingham have listened to many programmes of rare interest in recent years.
 The New York Philharmonic orchestra, Josef Stransky, conductor, will be the central attraction. This famous sym phony organization, built up and led for many years by the late Theodore Thomas, will appear here for the first time, While there will be short chorus number sung by 200 school children in the afternoon and short cantata sung by mixed chorus of 140 at night, most of the music at both performances, will be orchestral.
 It would well repay any concertgoer who really loves the best to strain a
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-05-10
CAPT. s. H. COGG|NS TAXES TANLAC AND
 GAINS 16 POUNDS
City Pound Manager Says He Feels Better Now Than He Has in
 20 Years

CT have gained IS pounds since I began taking Tanlac and I feel better than l have in 20 years was the remarkable statement made last Thursday by Capt. S. H. Coggins, one of Birmingham's best known citizens, and for the past nine years employed by the city government as manager of the pound. Captain Cog gins resides at 516 South Twelfth street.
 I've been bothered with stomach trouble and indigestion for 20 years" con tinued Captain Coggins in his interesting statement to the Tanlac representative. I had an uncomfortable feeling in my chest and in the pit of my stomach almost con- tinually and nothing took for this trou- ble did me any good. My nerves got all unstrung and sleep became almost impossible A good many nights would lie awake the whole time, and when l got up next morning I felt tired and worn-out and in no kind of shape to go on duty.
 My kidneys must have also been af- fected, because I had severe pains to come now and then across my back and in my limbs also This alone was trouble enough, but didn't compare with the aw- full spells of indigestion.
 "Of course, it was impossible for me to eat much of anything, and the least little thing would upset my stomach and cause suffering afterwards
 HIS IS IHe very shape was III Wueil l took my first dose of Tanlac. The first few doses of it made me hungry and I started to eating things I hadn't touched before in a long time, and everything agreed with me and the indigestion spells didn't come on me any more. Then, my sleep got good and I would wake up every morning feeling rested and fine and ready for a big days work. I weighed 40 pounds when I started taking the medi- cine. Now I weigh 1856 pounds. Tanlac increased my weight 16 pounds and there is no doubt about it.
 "The pains in my stomach and chest have been entirely overcome and I feel well and strong in every way and can hardly realize that I am the same man.
 I'm Il years old and I have never seen anything to equal Tanlac for troubles like I had. I have taken it and know what it will do and talk it all the time and tell everybody that it's the finest medi- cine in the world"
 Tanlac is sold in Birmingham exclusive ly by Eugene Jacobs Drug Store and Patton-Pope Drug Co.,; in Ensey by D. W. Norris Drug Co.,; in Bessemer by Pegram-P Patton Drug Co.,; in Pratt City by Gale Drug Co, and North Birming- ham by Walker Drug Co.-Adv.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-05-10
INDUSTRIAL DEPRESSION
 WILL NOT FOLLOW THE WAR
REDFIELD

be a great asset in maintaining our export trade when the war is over. | doubt if there is any such extent of war business as to involve such con sequences as having many plants lying idle and railroads suffering from lack of goods to carry. Of the total in dustrial and commercial business of the country I think it is probably safe to say that the so-called war business does net exceed per cent"
 industrial preparedness is going on all the time. the secretary added, and Will be aided by Legislation recom- mcnded by governmental agencies.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-05-10
GADSDEN

Gadsden, May 9.-(Special)-A 5o-ton ca pacity feed mill will be esta blished in the Cassels mill property the work on which is to begin Thursday. R. R. Mo Cleskey and J. P. McCleskey of Boaz will form a $25,oOo company for the pur- pose. It is estimated that 4Ooo tons of feedtsuffs, the cost of which is A25,0O0, is sold in Gadsden annually.
 The council at a caucus last night fa- vored the maintenance of municipal light plant. Plans are embryonic and an and another meeting will be held within the next 10 days.
 Cheers greeted the mention of Roose- velt's name at the Etowah county repub- lican convention at Attalla today. Dele gates to state and district conventions were named. convention will be held at Attalla July 15, to put out full county ticket
 Following the conference of Miss Eve lima Belden of the federal children's bu- reau yesterday afternoon, with local lead CTS, it was decided to call a mass meet ing to consider the establishment of a juvenile court.
 The Chamber of Commerce last night indorsed the Shields general dam bill.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-05-10
SELMA

Selma, May e.-(Special) l)-City Attorne, Leo Leva has been directed to draf an ordinance providing for the paving oi Alabama avenue from Lauderdale street to Union connecting at Union with the pavement in West Alabama King street will be graded and graveled and plans Will be made for much other street inn prcvement during the next two months. All this was decided at the meeting of the city council Monday night
 R. L. Ellis, chairman of the Chamber of Commerce's wharf committee, appeared before the council and sought the right to use the property at the foot of Church street for the proposed municipal wharf The right was granted and actual work w,ll commence within 50 days.
 Workmen Tuesday morning began the work of draining the old Selma reservoir in East Selma, preparatory to trans forming the place into modern 40O-foot square municipal swimming pool. Mayor Louis Benish, member of the city coun- cil and members of the city park com cission were present when the first move was made at the work of draining, and all plans are complete for having the pool IF operation sometime between May 20 and June 1. Dressing rooms will be built as soon as contracts can be awarded. 1t is announced, and the pool will be made one second to none in the whole south.
 movement is under way among the business women of Selma to have all mer- chants close their stores at l o'clock on Friday during the summer months, giv- ing the clerks and salesladies an after noon of rest during the week. It is said that number of the merchants are in favor of the plan, and are giving hearty cooperation. The campaign is being con- ducted, it is announced, under the direc- ton of the Business Women's club.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-05-10

Washington, May 9.-There will be no industrial depression in the United States at the end of the European war; in the opinion of Secretary of Commerce Red field, who today wrote William P. Mall burn, assistant secretary of the treas ury, that the countrys so-called war business does not exceed probably per cent of it's total industrial and commer- cial activity The letter was in reply to a suggestion by MT. Malburn that the American people are in danger of overlooking preparedness for peace.
 Necessary establishments after the wal will be important and perhaps serious Mir Redfield wrote. but the relative inn portance of war business generally is over-estimated.
 "So far as we can learn it does not exceed one-quarter of our exports" he continued, and possibly is not quite that much. Even without them, our exports would be much larger than before th' war. Our shipments to South America for example, have doubled or more
 Tt does not seem to me quite pro portional to the facts to suggest thai we may find ourselves at the close O the war with a vast organization suitable to the production of goods needed in wal times, which organization will be useless. In the first place, the extent of the new organization of this kind is not grea compared to all our industries.
 There are few cases of large ad- ditions of the kind but in their com parative bull they are not great Neither is it, I venture to think, quito the fact that they would be useless in time of peace.
 Especially is this so if our own preparedness takes a more substantial | form than in the past. It is, however think, the more important fact tha' l plants of this kind are not limited t, one particular product, or even ont group of products but arc available fol many forms of manufacture and the new organization and equipment vii
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-05-10

point and attend the matinee. Among other gems to be rendered there are Men, delssohn's "Fingalls Cave overture "Lszt's symphonic poem, "Tasso,' and Goldmark's Rustic Wedding sym phony
 The night programme will include Beethovens No. 3 symphony, and sew eral light but enchanting orchestral novelties
 As only popular Arices are charged the public spirited women who are managing the concerts hope to see the Bijou packed at both performances. Bringing the Philharmonic orchestra here for two concerts is an expensive enterprise, and with capacity houses the local management will only come out about even. Seats are on sale al the Cable company's piano house, but on Thursday morning the box office will be transferred to the Bijou
 The Philharmonic orchestra plays in Montgomery tonight and will reach Birmingham in private cars at an early hour Thursday