davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1917-02-08
Guests Forced to Flee in 20
Below Weather
Building and Contents are a
Total Loss, Partly Covered
by Insurance.

With the weather registering
at twenty degrees below zero
the Washburn Hotel in this city,
one of the old landmarks of the
city, was totally destroyed by
fire at an early hour last Satur-
day morning and the twenty or
more guests, together with the
proprietor and employees were
forced out into the cold morn
ing air.
The fire was first discovered
by one of the dining room girls
who was awakened from her
slumbers by the smell of smoke
and she gave the alarm which
aroused the proprietor Ed.
Peterson.
The fire had started in the
laundry from some unknown
cause and was burning quite
rapidly when first seen, filling
the hotel with smoke, With pre-
sence of mind the efforts of Mr..
Peterson and the help was first
directed toward arousing the
guests in the building and some
difficulty was had in awakening
some of the sleepers, the door
on one room having to be kicked
in to arouse one guest.
Mr.. Pedecso.5 s.Z.l others then
made their way to the scene of
the fire while others rushed out
to nearby places to give in the
alarm. On account of the poor
fire alarm system it was with
difficulty that the firemen were
aroused at this hour of the
morning and it was almost
twenty minutes after the fire
was first discovered before the
fire bells began to ring and it
was another twenty minutes
before the firemen arrived. The
telephone operators had to be
depended upon to call Individual
firemen and of course this took
a great deal of time.
The efforts of the people at
the Hotel to check the
flames proved futile and by the
time the firemen arrived it was
plain that the building was
doomed to destruction. On ac-
count of the intense heat and
the poor water pressure it was
with difficulty that the firemen
were able to battle the flames
and they rapidly spread to all
portions of the building.
The fire could be seen from
every section of the city, the
sky being illuminated as plain
as day. The building being a
frame one made a pretty fire. 1t
was not until daylight that the
fire burned itself out and all
that remains to mark the spot
where the popular hotel once
stood is pile of ruins and few
chimneys which still remain
standing.
The Pedersons saved very
little of their furniture and be-
longings and some of the en-
ployees managed to escape from
the building with only the
clothes upon their backs. The
guests at the hotel managed tc
save part of their belongings,
On account of the smoke tha'
filled the entire building great
excitement prevailed and it was
due to this that more was not
saved.
The building was valued al
about twenty thousand dollars
covered by $500 insurance
The cause of the fire is unknown
That there was no loss of life
or injury caused by the fire
which occurred at this early
hour seems almost miraculous
and had it started in any othel
portion of the building thai
The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1917-02-08
Lively Session of Council

of the Common Council was
neld at the Con e'cial (lpt
rooms op Tuesday evening and
was presided over oy President
Henry Johnson in the absence
of Mayor Macleod.
One of the very first matters
up for discussion was the ques-
tion of curbing the handling OF
intoxicating liquors in the city
of Washburn and the putting
out of existance of any and all
blind pigs. A.number of the
Alderman are becoming hostile
over this proposition for they
say it is the common talk of the
town that "blind pigs" have
been operating for some time
and the authorities were taken
to task for not putting them
out of eXistance.
Alderman Lysager presented
an ordinance which would put
in the hands of the local author
tiles a weapon which would
make it easy for the m to stop
the handling and tra fic of
liq uors in the city. The ordin-
ance is similar to the one in
torce at Superior, S'oughton,
Hay ward and other places
where they are dealing with a
similar situation. Alder man
White was on his feet in an in
slant and proposed that the
ordinance be tabled and he was
supported by Alderman Enouf,
who seemed to have the idea
that this would be interfering
with the state law which cover
ed the case. Other alderman
thought differently and the
motion to table it was killed by
a decisive vote. An attempt was
then made to pass the ordinance
to it's second reading also filed
and it will come up for action
at the next meeting of the
council.
An ordinance providing for
the NUN bering OF the houses of
the city according to a plan
formulated by committee of
the CONNIE el cial Club was also
passed. Washburn is likely to
have free mail delivery before
the summer is over and this
work is first necessary.
A resolution was presented
providing that the city set aside
the sum of $500 with which to
erect a farmers market shed
came up but action was de.
ferred until next meeting. The
council favored the proposition.
When the topic of tax matters
and assess ments was taken up
by the council the storm burst.
Messrs. A. L Lien, 1. w, Mark
and E. Bergman appeared be-
fore the council and complained
of the unjust assess ment of
their personal property, claim
ing that they were greatly over
assessed. Mr.. Bergman took
to task the Board of Review for
the manner in which they con-
Quoted their meetings, claim
ing that it was impossible to
catch the board in session with
ont the use of wireless or aero
plane and he gave the council
fair warning that the merchants
of the city would not tolerate a
like "show" during the year to
come. Mr.. Bergmann's re-
marks were all broadsides fred
from his AZ centimeter guns
and the council knew that he
meant business. He said that
he would not make further com.
plaint of this years assessment
but warned the council against
a repetition of what he termed
farce.
The fixing of officers salaries
for the ensuing year was de-
terred until the 1st Tuesday in
March, an adjournment being
taken until that time.
The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1917-02-08

Ernest Quinn who has been opera.
ting the Lion Cafe, closed his place
Of business the first Of the week,
The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1917-02-08
Card Of Thanks

We wish to extend our heart.
felt thanks to the many kind
friends and neighbors for their
words of comfort and cheer
and their deeds Of kindness
during the illness and death of
our beloved husband and father.
Mrs. Frank Strom and family.
The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1917-02-08

n. H. Peavey returned on Mon :
day from Minneapolis and st. Paul
where he tran sacted business dur
ing tie past week.
The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1917-02-08

BY using this paper wher
ertislng. Try it and
make business grow.
The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1917-01-19
WICKED WEAPONS.
Terrible Knives Welded by ths Ma
tives of Hindustan.

Terrible Knives Welded by ths Ma
tives of Hindustan.
The weapon common to every part
OF Hindustan, so as to deserve the
name of the national arm, is the 'ka-
tar" This is broad, two edged dag,
ger, the hilt OF which is formed some
thing ike an II, the hand grasping the
crossbar, which is generally double,
while the side bars extend on each side
of the wrist
Some katars are made with Ave
blades which unite into one, but by
squeezing together the crossbars the
blades dlverge like the fingers Of q
hand when the thrust has been given
Other katars are made in sets Of two
or even three, of diminishing sizes, the
blades OF the larger being hollow and
forming sheaths for the smaller.
Some OF the southern Indian katars,
known as death giyers," are immense
weapons, nearly two feet long In the
blade, and the hilts are a mass Of fan,
tastic scrollwork and mythological
monsters, the cobra with expanded
hood figuring largely.
There are also the "bich'hwa," OF
scorpions sting, a doubly curved dag
ger; the 'khanjar," a larger form OF
the same, and the "peshkabz, or hunt
ing knife. But none of these elab
crate weapons has about it the terri
bly, "businessllke" look Of the Khyber
knife ("ch'hura0, with its ponderous
single edged, tapering blade and plain
ivory hilt-Chambers' Journal.
The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1917-01-19
THE STATELY ELK.
10 10 the Most Beautiful of Our Re-
manning Wild Animals.

10 10 the Most Beautiful of Our Re-
manning Wild Animals.
Now that the buffalo survives only
In a few preserves the elk is the most
interesting as 1t Is the most beautiful
Of our remaining wild animals. In
this day Of Americanism 1t would be
a fine thing if this typical American
animal should come to be known by
his Indian name Of wapiti. The wapiti
is the largest Of the red deer family
and closely resembles his smaller
brother, the European stag. The wa
pitt Is not properly an elk, as the Eu-
ropean elk Is more closely allied to the
American moose.
The wapiti is now numerous only In
the states of Wyoming, Idaho and
Montana, though nearly 1000 head arc
thought to remain In Colorado, and
considerable numbers are scattered
through western Canada. The Camp
fire Club Of America and other organ
izations and individuals are working
for It's preservation. The favorite
home of the elk is the Yellowstone Ma
tional park, where he has no rife to
fear and where cougars, coyotes and
timber wolves are kept under control
In the park and its vicinity are proba
bly, $4,000 head. distributed In two
main herds.
During the summer months the elk
live high up in the mountains, general.
ly at an elevation OF 5000 to 11,000
feet. The grassy plateaus offer an
ideal summer range. Even on the
wooded sides OF the highest ravines
there are parklike glades where the elk
late In the afternoons come out to
feed. 1t is difficult to imagine a more
beautiful sight than is then afforded
by these stately and graceful animals.
Although their number in the park
may sometimes reach as high as co.
COO head, it is rare for visitors to see
single specimen. Visitors are taken IN
stages around a regular route arrang-
ed for viewing the natural phenomena
Of that great outdoor museum.
The elk dislike to be pursued by tour
lists with cameras and keep away from
the stage routes. IL visitors would
leave the highways Of the park and
seek out It's byways, either on foot or
by pack and saddle trips they would
have a marvellous opportunity to study
the greatest exhibit which survives OF
our mountain wild life-not only the
elk, but mountain sheep, deer, beaver
and many other animals.
The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1917-01-19
FORCING BIG OVERTIME.
Head of Brotherhood Charges That
Railroads Are Delaying Trains.

Head of Brotherhood Charges That
Railroads Are Delaying Trains.
w. G. Lee, chief Of the Brotherhood
OF Railroad Trainmen. in a recent state
ment charges that the railroads of the
country are permitting delays to trains
and overtime which would not ordi-
narily be permitted in order to prove
the enormous expense that would fol-
low obedience to the Adamson law.
The statement says:
"The railways enjoined the govern
ment from enforcing the Adamson hw
additional litigation will hereafter
very likely be started by the railways
on the plea of determining to whom
does the law apply CT how does it ap-
plyY
Already the railroads are permitting
delays to trains and overtime that
would not be permitted under normal
conditions.
Recall, if you can, an instance
where labor organizations have at
tempted to enioin the government from
enforcing federal statute Such or
CARNATIONS are law abiding instead OF
lawbreakers
Remember, the railways are not en-
joining the brotherhoods. but are en-
Joining the government.
"The question is, after the supreme
court has said the law IS or is not con
stitutlonal Shall the employees whom
President Wilson and congress de-
clared should have the eight hour basic
workday forget their request and CON
ttnue to wait2'
The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1917-01-19

government, told the court that it
reached the heights of imagina
ton" to say that the primary OBJ
ice. of congress, in passing the law
was not to limit the hours of toll.
TIE contention that the law is
unworkable, Mr.. Davis said, was
"a manifest afterthought induced
by the necessities of this case.
"It may be congress did not
please the railroads, the employees,
or the public he said, "but the
body that made the law should
amend it aud the judiciary must
not usurp that function 4"
1t is believed the court will make
a ruling in this case in the very
near future.
The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1917-01-19
faVOritGS Get Bonus.

Pittsburg. Pa, Jan. 19 -Ac-
cording to the Industrial Advocate
the Pennsylvania Coal company
overlooked its low waged workers
when it distributed a 10 per cent
Christmas bonus. The company S
generosity was given wide publicity
but 1t is now claimed that men like
boss fremen. barn boss and the
night watchmen. whose wages do
not run higher than $50 month,
received no extra pay.
Such men as mine foremen, as
sistant mine foremen, mine super
tntendent, ETC., runs in on the
bonus money" says the Industrial
Advocate.
The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1917-01-19
f. i. j. i. + i. i. + + + + i. 4. .s' i. i. i.
EIGHT HOUR DAY BENEFIT.
Testimony of an Employer as to ths
Value of Lessening Hours.

Value of Lessening Hours.
No more striking example of the en-
ployers' new attitude toward the eight
hour day can be found than letter
from George f. Johnson Of Endicott,
Johnson & Co, Of Endicott, n. Y, says
q writer Ia the Survey. Twelve thou
sand employees affected by this reduc-
tion to eight hours on Nov. /, 1915,
held a great eight hour parade In cele-
bration.
Mr.. Johnson writes: Our purpose in
establishing the eight hour day was to
make proper recognition of the fact
that ia a prosperous business like ours
the more people participating In the
prosperity the greater the benefit of
same. AS our business has grown
and prospered we have recognized this
principle: All Of the workers should
share In the prosperity.
I'VE have no theories about the eight
hour day. Never have had. We think
the eight hour day has arrived We
think It is q mistake for employers Of
labor to dispute it, We agree with
the president, Society has set its seal
of approval upon the eight hour day.
The sooner it is recognized universally
ESQ far as possibte) the better for all
concerned and the sooner the proper
adjustment can be made.
$50 far as we are concerned, 1t was
the greatest pleasure In our lives to
grant the eight hour day voluntarily
without reduction In wage, and we sin
cerely hope that it may be made pos
sible for US to still further improve,
constantly, the working conditions, and
the wage of all our working partners.
Finally, TO sum up, 1t was simply
our honest desire to improve conditions
and increase the wage of the people IN
our employ, just as fast as we feel safe
in doing It, Meaning of course, that
we must meet competitive conditions
and safeguard the business always
What 1t is possible fol a concern to do,
who are noucompetitive. may not be
possible for MS to do, but we shall, as
above stated, keep constantly before us
the wish and the feryent hope that we
may improve conditions for all, with a
proper regard for the rights Of the con-
sumner"
There indeed is the new spirit in in
dustry. 1t sums up feeling Of which
one catches glimpses in many indus
tries and many states from the Attain
tic to the Pacific it gives in more de
tail the general principle, The time
has come for the eight hour day, and
it is long enough for any one TO work ("
The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1917-01-19
Rousing Meeting Held BY
Butler County Liberal
League.

The Butler County Liberal
League held a rousing meeting last
Friday night in Symmes hall, cor
ner High and Monument avenue.
Members from every corner of the
county were present and took part
in the meeting. Reports from he
different sections were made and
the future outlook for the league
could not be much better.
Several new members were taken
into the organization and their
names have been enrolled on the
books The League at this meet
ing also decided to give large pig
roast barquet on Wednesday, Feb
ruary 18th. The banquet will be-
gin promptly at 1880 p. M. in the
Monk y Temple, south Monument
avenue. Tickets are now being
sold by thu members at SOC. A
packed house is promised and if you
want TO get on the inside come
early and stay as long as you like
The committee promises a surprise
entertainment which will be worth
the price of admission. Coed
speak kers have also been secured tc
give the members and their friends
short talks.
The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1917-01-19
AdamSOn 8-H0ur Law Before
Supreme Court,

Washington, Jan. l9 Hearings
before the United States Supreme
Court on the legality OF the Adam
son eight-hour law for "a Tread
train service employees began Mon
day, January s. Federal Judge
Hook, Of Kansas City, declared the
law unconstitutional Novem ber p
last, in the case of the Missouri,
Oklahoma & Gulf railroad.
The federal government is de-
Tending the law. The railroad bro
therhoods have no official connec-
tion with the case. Both sides have
long list of attorneys and the
court extended 10 eight hours the
time usually granted counsel to
argue case
Th4 railroad 5 brief contends that
the law IS unavoidable, experimen-
ta', Incapable of application, inter
feres with liberty of contract, does
not fall within the authority Of con,
gress to regulate interstate com
merce and takes railroad property
without due process of law The
claim that the law is only a wage
increasing act is especially empha
sized.
In reply to the latter claim Solic
itor General Davis, on behalf of the
The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1917-01-19
Tribute TO Workers.

The noblest men 1 know on earth
Are men whose hands are brown with
toll,
Who. backed by no ancestral gifts,
Hew down the woods and till the soil
And win thereby prouder name
Than follows kings or warriors fame.
The workingmen, whatee er their task.
Who carry stone or bear the hod.
Reveal upon their honest brows
The royal seal and stamp OF God;
And worthier are their drops OF sweat
Than diamonds on the coronet.
God bless the noble workingmen,
Who build the cities of the plain.
Who dig the mines and build the ships
And drive the commerce of the main!
God bless them. for their toiling hands
Have wrought the glory of all landsl
-ColoueJ p NJ CophrRna
The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1917-01-19
Queer Eskimo Custom.

A traveller among the Eskimos Of
northern Alaska tells OF a custom that
reveals an odd mixture of superstition
and practical shrewdness. When a
child is born its parents give it the
name of the last person who died in
that village, partly in the belief thai
the spirit OF the dead person leaves the
grave and enters the child and partly
In the expectation that the relatives Of
the dead person will contribute to its
support
His Seinsh State.
Il live in a state where there are
absolutely no divorces"
Indeed! What state is that?"
''The state of single blessedness" ]"
BOSTON Transcript.
The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1917-01-19

Onless tneIr employers grant them an
increase of 81 week, from $22 to $24,
the 130 expert Wrappers of Paterson,
N. j., may strike.
The watchmakers of New York city
threaten TO strike unless their demands
OF 20 per cent increase in wages and
a fifty hour week are granted.
South Cardinals new child labor law
prohibiting the employment Of children
under fourteen years of age in the tex
Tile establishments has gone into effect.
From Jan. / to Dec 20, 1916, the sum
sf $145, ,4S0.55 has been paid to widows
and other dependents of industrial
Workers killed in their employment in
Pennsylvania
The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1917-01-19
LOW WAGES IN DETROIT.
Earnings Of the Average Workman Not
Sufficient to Support Family.

Sufficient to Support a Family.
Average wages paid the average
grade workman III 20 per cent Of De-
troit factories is not enough to support
a father, a mother and four children
deceDty. To get along mother and
other children must go to work When
mother and children work the home is
neglected, the children become deIin-
quent, and recruits are made for the
great army Of the inefficient. Ulti-
mately society pays the bill These
startling statements were made by so
cial workers at a meeting held at the
Detention home, Detroit
THE irreducible minimum on which
six persons can live Is SS6.19 per
month Out of nine factories selected
for study only two pay more than
that. Most of them pay less In fact,
considering all classes Of labor in these
nine factories, 1t was found that IS per
cent Of the workmen get less than the
irreducible monthly minimum. The
deficit is made good by child labor
Eleven industrial plants In Detroit are
about ready TO announce increases that
viii mean living wage 10 their work
men" This statement is made by
Boyd Fisher. secretary Of the Execu-
tiVes' club. This organization is com
posed Of manufacturers. members of
the board of commerce and business
men In general. Heads Of some of the
largest plants in Detroit are among It's
members.
The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1917-01-19
Monthly Bonuses" Possible.

Joplin, Mo, Jan. 49, The La
Dor Tribune advises those wage
earners who receive bonuses to in
vest same in paid union card
and help to make the bonus appear
monthly in the form of wages SO
they can support their familie S
in decency the year round aud not
just give them little feast once a
year"
The labor movement believes
that the wage Garner is worthy of
his hire, They want justice, not
charity. The wage Garner, under
union conditions, gets better pay
and GO bonuses, He does not feel
that he owes the house anything
for giving him the money he earned
by The sweat of his brow, and he
does not care for aims in the shape
of a bonus.
One railroad last week an
uounced an increase ia the wages
of its unorganized employees, and
the same railrod is fighting the
Adamson law, because the officers
assert that the small increase asked
would bankrupt the roads. Volun-
tary increases don't seem to come
out Of the same bag.
The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1917-01-19
Increase For LronmoIders.

The executive committee Of the In
ternational Molders' Union of North
America, representing about $4,000
men controlling the stove. furnace and
heater output Of the country. won con-
cessions from the employers at the
annual conference held recently at At
lantic City. An agreement was reach
ed In which workmen receive an ap-
proximate increase in the wage scale
of 1917 per cent and the reduction OF
one-half hour i'll the working day. with
certain new shop rules. The new
agreement went into effect on Jan. /.