davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-09-12
The Daily Story
Was It an Anniversary ohost7-By Willard Brakeman

day. He saw about him onlv a.
green bank Of the river, behind him ~ :
village, in which all we're wrannsd '' ~
slumber. But he Is not sure ~, =
was awake, not sure but that NJ r,ao ~
dreaming. At any rate, he was 1bfta
ious to the strangers return. for ~
first he knew OF 1t he heard a vo ~
ordering him 70 drive home. RousIn'o
himself and looking down fror, ~
box he saw his fares face tb-a..
without the window, looking mn -
him. The cabman will never fnra@.
that face. II was singularly basS
sone. though so pale as 70 be ratbnr -
the dead than OF the living. Tho A.
precision was that OF one who had n,-.
mitted some dreadful crime. one V,S..
had killed someone. But In II tbers
was no remorse. 1t was rafbs.
triumph.
"Hcme!" said the stranger.
The cabman did not know and A,d
not dare ask where home was ~
knew that he had taken I'D his fare A.
Wall street, and for that location h.
healed.
In the twilight the city seerrsA
changed. All the landmarks OF a me.
tropolis were missing.
Turning out OF Broadway at wall
street, he drove down till he reaehes
the point where Broad Joins Il. Thfs
was where he had taken I'D hfs fara
Here, too, was not the Office OF ina
great banking house which "a thara
but a small brick dwelling The s,ran.
ger called on him to stop, and he
drove up to the curb.
Coachy says that when this singular
being alighted he cast HIS eye al
dwelling on the opposite side OF Waf
street a short distance down toward
the East river and looked for a mo-
ment at IL with malignant triumph.
then, turning. without mentioning ~
money he owed for his ride, he mount.
ed the steps Of a dwelling before him
and seemed to pass through the door
without opening it.
Coachy was found that morning in a
stupor on his box and about to fall Ha
was removed to hospital, whence he
did not emerge for several weeks.
When he did so he narrated the adven.
ture OF that memorable night TO a
gentleman who happened TO be a schol-
ar. All the information he received
was this:
The house the strange man entered
was once occupied by Aaron Burr.
Alexander Hamilton lived on the oppo-
site side of Wall street a little way
farther down toward the East river
The night of the adventure was the
hundredth anniversary Of the duel
fought between Hamilton and Burr, in
which Hamilton was killed.
Perhaps the vision came to the cab
man as he WAS entering a Eayara III
ness rather than being the cause OF It.
The singular feature is that it should
have come to an illiterate man.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-09-12

One night--it was IL oTclock-a cab
man was Jogging along through Wall
street, New York, half asleep on his
box, when he was accosted from the
sidewalk by a man whose apparel
made coachy blink his eyes to assure
himself that he saw Alright. To begin
OF the top Of HIS head, he wore beav-
er hat with a large bell crown and
g. rim curled at the sides. His coat
was very high in the collar, his neck
tie was voluminous lace, the buttons
on his clothes were brass, his breechea
were what we call knickerbockers.
Coachy drove to the sidewalk, and
the gentleman without asking permits
sion, opened the door and stepped in
side.
ITO Greenwich" he called as he
closed the door behind him.,
up Greenwich street, sir?"
yes"
That part of New York which was
originally Greenwich village is several
miles from where the stranger entered
the coach, and the cabman would rath-
er have declined to make fare so late
in the evening. But there was some
thing about the stranger that was COM
peliing. When the cab reached Green
wich and cabby asked for further in
structions the man inside only said,
Drive on.n Cabby seemed awed by
the tone in which the words were
spoken and dared not ask another
question, SO he drove on in the direc-
ton he was going, northward, till he
reached the river bank. The man inside
stepped from the cab without calling
on coachy to stop, and when he touch
ed the ground there seemed not to be
the slightest shock. AS he walked
away he fixed his eyes on the cabman
with a look that made him forget all
about the omission to pay the fare.
Indeed, a cold chill ran down the
mans back. Going to the margin Of
the river, his figure seemed to float
along, growing more and more indis-
tiuct till it was lost, as cabby thought,
in the water. But this could not be,
for there came from where he had dis
appeared a sound of oars. The sound
passed up the river, gradually dying
away in the distance
Now, although the stranger had CIV
en- 10 orders to the cabman to await
his return, the latter felt no power to
do otherwise. He did not think that
by gong away he would lose the mon
ey he had already earned; he remained
fixed where he was by the look his
fare had given him when he walked
away with that unearthIy tread.
1t was the season when the days are
long and dawn begins about o'clock
CCachy sat for perhaps an hour, per-
haps twO-he could never recall how
long it was-waiting there on the river
balk, with no human being near, for
he says that he was not conscious of
the surrounding traffic of the present
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-09-12

these reasons IS the transfer OF vast
numbers OF men from their home coun-
tries across borderlands of geography
and other borderlands OF social usage,
custom and modes of thought. The out
come should be more adequate rec
ignition by the many of the essential
unity OF the human race.
Two notable instances Of this ire
mendous transfer of men from land to
land were reported recently in the dis
patches. John r. Mott, general secre-
tary Of the international committee Of
the Young Mems Christian association,
who has visited the prison camps OF
nearly all the countries at war, asserts
that more than 5000, 900 war prisoners
are informed in the belligerent nations.
Bassett Dtgby in a cable dispatch to
the Daily News from Petrograd, has
told how a ukase Of the car gathered
1000, 900 so-called wild men from the
remotest regions OF Siberia for war
service back OF the fighting lines of the
Rpssian armies. Trained fighters from
nearly all races under the sun have
been taking part in the fighting, on one
side or the other, in the trenches of
Europe.
Historians are agreed that the
marching and countermarching, the
rubbing together Of east and west, in
the crusade had much 10 do with the
awakening of intellect that marked the
revival of Europe from the stagnation
OF the dark ages. There is reason to
hope that a similar stimulation of
thought leading to progress will fol-
low the present gigantic upheaval of
the forces of humanity.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-09-12
CONDITIONS CHANGED.

The republican candidate very wise
ly refrained from calling our prosper
ity Fools Paradise during his trip
through the smiling plenteous fields Of
the golden west. A few years agU,
when the walls OF homes were papered
with mortgages, when corn was
burned for fuel, when interest rates
were exorbitant and capital rarely left
its vaults, when the Mckinley and
Dingley and Payne tariffs were in eff
feet, when the money of the country
could be cornered at the Will OF a few
financial buccaneers, when railroad
tracks were covered with rust, when
school houses were few and so on and
on, republican orators had the people
deceived as TO the source and cause
and whereabouts OF prosperity. Not so
today. when all such conditions have
changed and the people have become
wise to plunderers and shy of receiv-
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-09-12

leave Davenport the middle OF next
week for Brownsville, Texas, where
he VIII collect data regarding the fur
thering the plans to have the govern
ment take over the expenditure Of
money for war relief purposes. II
this probability becomes a realization
1T would mean that the Davenport Pa
triotic society would cease to exist, the
government standing the expense Of
caring for the needy families Of Bat
terry B.
One Slip Causes Arrests-At the re-
quest of their attorneys the cases OF
william Weise, Art RoselIe, Milton
Dimick and George Cummings, accus-
ed of being members Of the gang
which for the past two years has been
stealing automobiles in Davenport in
which to "joy-ride," were continued
to Sept. 16, in the court Of Police
Magistrate Ernst Claussen. Deputy
Sheriff Lou Martens, who has been
working on the case for six weeks
told yesterday of the way in which
the evidence against the gang was
secured, and of the one little slip that
led to their arrests.
Obituary RecOrd.-Mrs. Magdalena
Prignitz passed away at her home,
1882 West Third street, after having
suffered during a long period OF III
ness. The deceased was born IN
Holstein. Germany, Jan. l.
1868, coming TO Davenport In 1881
She was united in marriage to August
Prignitz March 10, 1887. She was
member of the Royal Neighbors anu
the Germania Frauen Bund. The sur
vivors are her husband; her parents
Mr.. and Mrs Herman Willers, and ths
following sisters and brothers: MIS-
Katy Meye of Medford, Wis; Mrs. gu-
Illus Prognitz, Mrs. Henry Bruhn'
Harry, John. Frank and Emil Willels,;
Mrs Sophie Kelly, aged 81 years ..
Grundy Center, Iowa, passed away q
a local hospital. She was born Aus
Is, 1865, at Grundy Center, where sne
Her husband died two years
ago. The remains were taken 10 tns
undertaking parlors' wnels
they were prepared for shipment F"
her home.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-09-12
WHERE THE STOMACH LIES.

A great many patients are worrying
themselves sick over what they imag-
! inc is a dislocation or mal-position
Of the stomach, whereas it is nothing
of the kind.
DR.. Richard F. Chase found that in
healthy young college students the
lower border of the stomach in the
median line averaged a f1nger-nail
breadth above the navel, and the posi-
ton varied from two and quarter
inches above to one and three-quarter
inches below. In about half of the
subjects the border was below the
navel, especially in thin subjects-all
normal, healthy subjects, remember.
A famous surgeon, Munro, says: I'VE
find on opening abdomens in which
there is no stomach trouble that the
lower border Of the stomach is more
commonly below the navel than other
observers suppose, and l believe there
is yet great deal work to be done to
settle the question of the normal posi-
ton Of the stomach in healthy indi-
viduals"
Drs. MacLaren and Daugherty, sur
geOns and X-ray workers, state:
Early in our observation we found
that many stomachs were markedly
prolapsed (sagging downward), but
their owners had perfect digestion
but when we found that most healthy
women and many healthy men had
stomachs sagging we'll into the pelvis
we came to the conclusion that in the
upright position pholapsus-was usual
ly a pelvic organ"
Cheer up, dyspeptics and wearers of
abdominal supporters. Where is NV
Wandering Stomach Tonight" is no
longer popular song Place your
hand on the place where you naturally
imagine your heart beats, and thank
your stars you have a stomach at all.
DO some victims of ptosis or sagging
OF the stomach suffer great digestive
as a result, notwithstand-
ing Drs. Chase, Munro, MacI.aren and
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-09-12

been successful not only because Of
the better equipment, but because he
approached their refuge from the
northwest, not the northeast, and
drove IN behind the ice pack. That
his arrival Was none too soon is shown
by the statement of the rescued that
for time they had had only one meal
daily. having been unable to repIen-
ish their food supply by killing seals.
The whole story is romantic and
heroic enough TO make US to forget the
complete debacle OF Shackleton's plan
10 dash across the polar plateau and
emerge at the base station simuIta-
neously established on the other side
or the world; the voyage in whale
boats TO bring help, the dash back, the
patient wait OF the imprisoned ex-
plorers as high seas and invading ice
menaced their narrow foothold. The
world VIII hope that the last chapter
may have as happy an ending.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-09-12
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Pot Luck in the Bread and Milk CIul

Could a man weighing $50 pounds
lose enough weight in two months in
the Bread and Milk club to show?
Answer-There would be some dan
ger that he might, but we guarantee
nothing. Members of the club take pot
luck and a nice long walk every day
That includes Blue Monday too.
Vaccination Does No Harm.
Can vaccination work any permanent
injury to the health, or affect the eyes,
the heart or the nervous system if the
arm heals well?
ANSWERING. Many imaginary aft
er effects are charged to vaccination.
don't believe in compulsory vaccina-
ton. but l have vaccinated our chill
dren, just to be safe Wouldn't have
done so if there were any risk involved,
you may be sure.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-09-12
FOUR PROSPEROUS YEARS

Thomas H. Price, a celebrated econ
omist, has compiled a table for the
Outlook, showing the prosperity OF
the country during the past four
years. Some of the figures as shown
by the percentage are very interest
ing. The following are Mr.. Price S
statistics showing the increased pros
perity of the country during President
Wilson's administration:
Population increase, 6.8.
National wealth, PIG.
United States debt to Europe de-
creased, 51.4-
Bank clearings increased, 34.9.
National bank deposits increased,
389.
State banks and savings increased,
80.
National bank loans increased, %.
Money in circulation increased, 22.9.
Gold in United States increased, "a.
Foreign commerce increased, 81.
Exports increased, $3.50.
Balance Of trade in favor of the
United States, 2S7.6.
Agricultural exports increased, 1855.
Manufactured articles increased,
1876.
Railway operating revenues increas-
ed, 37.6.
Crops produced increased, 124.
Steel production increased. 35.5.
Farm lands increased valuation,
12.7.
Employed in manufacturing in
crease, 23.2.
Wages paid in manufacturing in
creased, Alb.
Capital employed in manufacturing
increased, Alp.
Value manufacturing products IN
creased, 412.
Mr.. Price compiled the above fig
ures from the usual sources Of such
Information. They dissipate any cry
Of disaster over the economical con-
ditiOn Of the country during the Will
son administration OF the government
Commenting on Mr. Prices figures and
without denying their accuracy, the
Outlook, which does not favor Mr..
says editorially:
Mr.. Price has made out a very
strong case for the economical
achievements OF the administration
To those who vote for a president Of
the United States because, above ev-
erything else. they want his adminfs-
-ration 70 give them economic pros
perity, the article Will be very per-
5uasiye. II We believed the coming
election should be decided solely on
economic grounds. it would perhaps
)e difficult 10 combat Mr.. Prices sta
1stiCal arguments"
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-09-12

such equipment, but leHsened IN cost
and from 40 TO so per cent reduced In
weight. It is believed that these i'm
proved models OF bags and locks will
meet al requirements for years to
come. The actual introduction OF
these new and better styles begin in
the spring of 1914 and the results may
be summarized as follows:
Reduction in weight accomplished
with
Pounds.
1880 new style catcher
pouches, at 2 lbs. each. -. $4,000
10000 new style ordinary
pouches, at 8 lbs. each. =. 800, 900
10000 light weight ON 2
sacks, at So lbs. each 80. 81 800
IOtal ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 5Zb, SOO
Thus the tonnage economy carried
through the year, the saving in ton
mage per day by the new type bags
being about 175,600 pounds-the net
result per annum would be 64,094 900
pounds, or 32O47 tons. AS the average
cost OF carrying equipment and mail
matter is about two cents a pound, the
total annual saving in this particular
will be over a million dollars-to be
exact, 81 PSI 900, While this great
showing made by economical admins
tratton will commend itself to every
thoughtful reader, it is by no means all
that will be accomplished. Between
four and five hundred thousand need
lessly heavy mail locks used within
the past IL years will be substituted
by others weighing three ounces less
each, representing an additional saw
ing in money annually of over $780,
900. AS late as 1907 the weight of
ri al, 1ad he
weight of mail matter, consequently
nearly half Of the expense incurred
for transporting the mails was due to
the weight Of equipment, a burden of
cost unnecessarily borne, because ex-
pert attention wisely directed would
surely have discovered methods for
preventing such tremendous loss.
There are still over three million
sacks of one class in service which
will be replaced as rapidly as pos
sible with others weighing from to
ounces less.
When the general scheme of substi-
tuting lighter for the heavy equip
ment previously in use is consummat-
ed, the total annual saving in trans
porting the mails will be approx
mately-
On the item OF mails locks. $ 401, 800
On the item Of mail bags 6,409, 400
these figures being based on d COM
partson with conditions existing July
l, 1913.
All this cOmmendable work was &C
complished in two years without any
special appropriation for the pur-
pose. The saving already made and
the further advantages which may be
expected in this direction is not Wis
ionary nor based upon any contra
dictory bookkeeping methods, but
susceptible of ready proof, for the
whole question was far too serious to
permit any trifiing with figures when
the actual need for the utmost econ
omy and wisest measures was press
ing and insistent. The problem for
this administration of postal affairs
has been to change existing condi-
tions, save useless expenditure, and
apply the money thus saved to the
betterment Of the service and the
greater convenience and benefit of the /
people, and this problem is now being |
satisfactorily solved.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-09-12
POLITICAL PLEAsANTRIEs.

In these days when even the leader
of the republican party, bent on
creating rauCOr and Ill feeling, is pour
ing brOadsides Of abuse into the dem
Ucratic camp, il is pleasant TO know
that here in our own neighborhoOd a
campaign for congress is going on
with no manifestations of i'll will so
far as the two parties are concerned.
We find the sitting congressman send
Ing his compliments to one Of his pos
Eible or prospective rivals and we find
his rival acknowledging the courtesy
In becoming language. The following
was written By Bert Pinkerton, can
didate for the republican nomination
yor congress, IN his paper, the Mon
mouth Atlas:
The Atlas editor is under obli-
CATION TO the Hon. Clyde II. Tay-
enuer for a very valuable and in
terestiug little historical book Just
received. II is entitled Platforms
OF the TWO Great Political Parties,
ls56-l9l6 Inclusive" In the book
let, just the size OF the vest pocket,
are the platforms Of the two great
political parties for the period
named. OF course, IL is q very in
terestiEg and handy historical
document which every editor IS
most pleased to received, therefore
Mr.. Tayeuuer has our thanks not
for merely the booklet but also his
thOughtrUIuess IN sending the
booklet to this and other editorial
desks where IL may DO used 10 the
public good as each OF Us can see
the public good.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-09-12
JITNEY BUS INVADES
PORTO RICO CITIES

San Juan. Porto Rico.-The Jithss'
automobile is carrying more thau p,
600 passengers a day here and causlS
a serious loss 70 the electric So So
railway system. according TO a slaes
ment made by Q. NJ. Sewell, gene.rg
manager OF the Porto Rico hall"
Light and Power company, VINO ASST
that the company's loss since Jan
has amounted 10 $4,000.
Reports prepared by the comPs sss
show that since the jitney nrst ln -
its appearance here last No'eI.st,y
there have been from 30 % lSS ia "a, 20
operation None of the jbney oMlvo
operating cars before Jan. j no" 10
their cars In service, u is asseaa 'a'
and all have lost money. Is the eonss
ton OF the street railway compSn5n
Gasoline was 10 cents per gallon NnS "a
the jitney first appeared, now II - y
cents per gallon.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-09-12

In Des Moines yesterday two auto
mobilists were given jan sentences
for violation of the city traffic reguIa-
tons Des Moines has found that
small fines for offenders has not been
minimizing dangers to pedestrians
and it has been decided to adopt stern
or measures. The failure of the nom
inal fine as a remedy has been dem
onstrated in Rock Island and her
neighboring cities. When the reck-
less driver knows that he will be sent
to Jail, he will be mighty careful in
his observance of the rules of the
road In Rock Island the laws are
laughed at by automobile drivers.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-09-12
AS TO MAINE.

According to the latest reports
Maine has gone republican by from
1900 TO perhaps $4,000, which every
news association and newspaper con-
trolled by the republican party is
making a desperate effort to show is a
tremendous republican victory and q
crushing blow to Wilson.
And all this, notwithstanding that
the news associations, none of which
bless their hearts-would willingly
misrepresent the republican party, in
their stories Of yesterday, claimed the
state by at least 10000 for the repub-
lican party, which 1t was admitted is
normally a republican state. AS a
matter Of fact, anything less than
rs. 900 is considered by conservative
sources a distinct republican loss.
This year the party Of Hughes made
desperate efforts to rescue the state
and make a showing in figures that
would spell something. Hughes him
self stumped the state. SO did
Roosevelt All the big guns
the party had at it's command
were sent in and money was likewise
poured in by the barrel-but Maine
barely slipped under the republican
wire.
Figures are always interesting
Four years ago the state was carried
by the republicans in the September
election by $500, but by the time the
general election came around Maine
went into the democratic column by
$500. Two years ago, on state cleo
ton, 1t was still democratic by 3,177.
Here is the way Maine has wobbled
for 16 years, despite the claim that as
Maine goes, so goes the union" Moth
ing could be further from the truth:
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-09-12
sHACKLEToN's PARTY.

Bhackleton's rescue OF the party left
on Elephant island when the Endur-
ance was caught and broken up there,
leaves only the party on the other, or
Australasian, side OF the south pole 10
be brought back; and IT is fmprobab BILE
that its position IL precarious. Sir
Ernest's fourth attempt at The extri-
cation OF HIS men appears 10 have