davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1917-12-28

of the debt is provided, just as our
modern mortgages or mortgage bonds
state that principal and interest are
payable at the Tenth Trust Co.," or
some other bank.
The amount of interest is not stated,
but on all documents of this sort a
Legal rate of interest was customary,
u to 20 per cent and in times of war
to almost any amount.
The note matured in the month OF
harvest, exactly as American farmers,
getting loans from their banks, have
their notes mature in October and No
vember.
Notice the words "son of Marashu"
in the above document. Marashu Sons
were a great firm of bankers in the
Babylonlan city of Nippur. They made
loans of all kinds and often were called
upon to help the King of Babylon with
money.
This mortgage, together with many
other records of the firm of Marashu
Sons, was discovered in 1893. The
story of it's discovery is one of great
interest.
The Babylonians were the Ameri-
cans of antiquity. They were ma
ton of business men. Their mort
cages, notes, deeds, wills and other
documents were drawn with great care
and along the same principles as the
similar instruments we use today.
Lawyers did flourishing business in
Babylon, as these people were fond OF
going to law and made all transfers
of property a matter of record. Not
only did they invent mortgages, but
leases also.
One interesting lease demised field
and fish pond for the term of a year.
The lessee made first payment of one
talent of silver and in addition, as
ground rent agreed to furnish the
lessor with a mess of fish for his fam
lily table every day.
Another lease transferred a piece OF
improved property for sixty days, the
ground rent being paid in advance and
the tenant being guaranteed against all
claims of whatever nature.
All these documents were inscribed
on bricks made of clay by means of q
wedge-shaped instrument the various
combinations of wedges making up the
alphabet. These wedges have given
the name to this particular style OF
writing, which is called "cuneiform,
from the Latin word 'cuneus," a
wedge.
I suppose if the Babylonians had
safety deposit vaults they would not
have considered it necessary to insure
the preservation of their records thus
Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1917-12-28
Worlds Rubber Production.

Early in the war England establish
ed an embargo on crude rubber, and
through her control of the far Eastern
rubber plantations was able to make it
effective. Rubber manufacturers later
were permitted to obtain crude rubber
on their written agreement to withhold
shipments Of rubber or rubber prod
ucts from the central powers and GER
tain neutrals. The shipments of crude
rubber to this country is still contin-
gent upon the observance of this agree
ment.
The worlds rubber production for
this year is placed at 100000 tons
about double the production at the be-
ginning Of the war. About go per cent
is used in the United States.
Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1917-12-28

SCopyrlght, 1917, Western Newspaper UnIon ,
How many people realize that the
familiar mortgage of today has been
handed down to us from generation to
generation in practically unchanged
form since the time of ancient Baby
bon?
Yet this is a fact. The mortgage is
one Of those few things which has sur
yiyed through the long centuries
meeting the needs of Bel Bullitsu and
Sha Nabu Shu. BabylOnian agricul-
surists, and John Jones, the modern
American farmer.
This interesting discovery was made
when the Archaeological expedition of
Che University of Pennsylvania dug up,
in the ruins of the ancient city of Nip
Iur, Babylon, mortgage dated 40 b.
g., more than 1900 years ago.
The following is an accurate trans
Bation of the inscription on the brick
made by a noted ASsyriOlOgist of Chi
cagO:
Thirty bushels of dates are due to
Bel Nadin Shun, son of Marashu, by
Bel Bullitsu and Sha Nabu Shu, sons
of Kirebti, and their tenants. In the
month of Tashri (mOnth of harvesD of
the 34th year of King ArtaxerXes l,
they shall pay the dates, thirty bushels,
according to the measure of Bel Nadin
Shun, in the town of Bit Balatsu.
Their field, cultivated and uncultivated
6ef estate is held as a pledge for the
dates, namely, thirty bushels, by Bel
Nadin Shun. Another creditor shall
not have power over it."
The mortgage is the most ancient
form of investment, the first known
mortgage having been used by the
BabylOnians about 1000 years B. G.
It will be noted that the document
which is trust deed and note in one, is
81 first mortgage, as shown by the final
sentence, another creditor shall not
have power over it,"
It will be noticed, also, that a specific
place, as we'll as time, for payment
Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1917-12-28
THEY HAVE A. DARK SECRET
Husband and Brother-in-Law Feast
and Smash Piece Of China Wh'e"
is MysteriousIy Replaced.

Since the coming of the A-ray anu
tba nerfecting of the Bertillon systehhI
dark secrets have lost vogue Let oe
cosionally one of them does escape inc
keenest vigilance and flourishes Wlth
all the old-time mystery, according W
the Kansas City Star.
Mrs, Miller has a set of chinaware,'
the real creamy ware that the lish'
shines through. 1t is very ola. MIS-.
Miller inherited it. She also lnherlteu
the proud right TO boast that not one
niece had ever been, broken.
Mrs. Miller went away. Mr.. Miller
entertained his brother-in-law while
she was gone. There were other rel-
atives that he might have entertained
but in an unguarded moment he chose
his brother-in-law.
One night they made a feast. They
baked a great number of things all III
one pan. So when it came out OF the
oven it seemed to demand that 1t
should all be served on one plate. MI.
Miller looked over the supply OF dishes
that had been left out for his use and
there was really nothing that would
contain it. A wild spirit of revelry
seized Mr.. Miller.
"We will do the thing up right" he
shouted.
He went boldly into the china closet
and brought out the very largest plat
ter.
When the meal was ended, Mr.. Mill
ler's brother-in-law suggested dish
washing. Mr.. Miller did not favor the
plan, but finally yielded to it against
his better judgment. What happened
was quite natural.
The platter slipped and fell and
broke.
After all the years, after all the fam
lily pride and care!
From thai night on those two men
took up and carried about with them
a dark secret, for this is what they did
each carrying a piece of that plat
ter. they went from one china store TO
another until they found its duplicate.
They carried it home and brought in
woman to wash it and replace it on
the Shelf of the china closet.
Now when Mrs. Miller entertains her
friends and one of them says: "How
1 envy you these beautiful dishes, and
it is so remarkable that not one has
ever been broken" Mr.. Miller and his
brOther-in-laW sit with far away look
in their eyes and a dark secret in their
souls.
Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1917-12-28

6 per cent on commercial loans and 8
per cent for loans not under the first
two classifications.
Perhaps the high rate of interest
mentioned previously was justified
when it is considered that the law
gave every advantage to debtors.
Losses to bankers were frequent and
the high rate charged was more as
measure of protection. POmpey, Bru-
tuS and Cato all lent money at so per
cent.
1t is often assumed that the rate of
interest depends upon the abundance
of gold or silver. This is not the
case, as in California and Australia
the rate of interest was extremely
high during the height of the gold ac-
tlvity. In MOhammedan countries in
terest is forbidden in the Koran. But
this has not succeeded in keeping down
rates, as in these countries interest is
three or four times greater than in
Europe. In some parts of the Orient
rates have gone as far as 100 per
cent.
Several centuries before the Chris
tan era a bank of deposit existed in
Byzantium. In 900 A. D. a bank Of
deposit was established in China, al
though some form Of banking existed
in that country many centuries be-
fore. About 1900 A. d. bank of
deposit was established in Damascus;
in 1916 one was founded in Geneva;
in 14O1 Barcelona started it's first bank
ing depository; the bank of Amster-
dam was founded in 1868; bank of ST.
George in 1907 and the bank of Stock
holm in 1868.
One of the earliest banking firms of
which we have any account is said to
be Egibi & Co. 1t was in ancient
Babylon. Evidences of its existence
were discovered in an earthenware jar,
in the neighbOrhOOd of Hillah, a few
miles from Babylon. These documents,
recorded on tablets, are now in the
British museum. Egibi & Co. are be-
lieved to have acted as the national
bank of Babylon, and the founder prob
ably lived in the reign of Sennacherib,
about 700 3. c. Below is a transla-
ton of one of the tablets:
Loan of five mana of silver of
Nabu-zer-iddin, chief of the dagger
bearers (rab-nas-patrutu) to Belnas;r.
The money to be repaid in installments
of a shekel and a half, beginning in
Nissan.
10th day of Tebet, 34th year of
NebuchadneZZar."
Records of this kind were deposited
in the government office.
Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1917-12-28

ACOpyrlgnt, lSl6, Western Newspaper CnlonJ
The ancient world, too, had it's cap
tains of industry and finance" and
the story of their struggles for success
is every bit as inspiring as modern
business romances." Then, as now,
difficulties of humble birth and caste
meant nothing to the determined, able
man.
There was a slave in ancient Greece
who rose to be the greatest banker of
his time. His name, Passion, is con-
Stantly mentioned in documents and
other records. While the extent of
his business was then considered enor-
nous, today we dismiss it as incOnse-
Guential. Passion is said to have held
SIS 400 on deposit from customers, to
have loaned $G0,935 and to have owned
land worth $24,375. His income was
$4,000 a year.
His deposits and loans appear small
I'm comparison with modern figures, but
the rate of interest cuStOmarily
charged does not-36 per cent.
Banking in Greece originally con-
sisted of changing money for foreign
ers. Later, the Greeks commenced
allowing interest on deposits. Dem
Osthenes is said to have kept bank
ing account.
Greek bankers were also nOtaries
and witnessed contracts between 9th
ers. They were familiar with letters
of credit and invented Il form of en-
dOrsement. AS an example of this, we
read that one Iceratus drew, in Ath-
ems, Il bill on his father in Pontus,
which was guaranteed by Passion and
then purchased by Stratocles. In
Greece the banks were located in the
temples and the latter We're often used
as national treasures.
They had an instrument correspond
ing to our check. They started the
practice of discounts is de-
Quoting the interest at the time of
making the loan.
The Greeks appear to have intro
duced banking in Italy. The Roman
bankers soon became very important
ana Roman COmeOleS couttlIU many AZ
IusIous to them. These We're not al
ways of a complimentary nature, but
it is fact that banking in Rome stood
nigh as profession. All money trans
actions among Romans were carried
on through bankers and account books
Of customers were kept.
In So b. c. the senate appointed
persons to lend a portion of public
funds. on security, to the Plebians.
The Romans were even more prone
than the Greeks to charge high inter
est rates. They sometimes reached %
per cent.
Later the rate was fixed by law and
81 Cfceros time the legal amount was
10 ner cent. In the law passed under
Tmneror Justinian, 52S A. D.. the rate
was fixed ut 4 per cent, for notables'
Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1917-12-28

Laying aside few dollars each
week does not necessarily make one a
thrifty person. Thrift means so much
more than merely saving mOney-it
means personal efiiciency-it means
planS-it means self-COnrol-it means
foreSight-it means prudence-it
means sane and legitimate self-confi-
dence-it means all that makes for
character. 1t is as much removed
from miserliness on the one hand as
il is from extravaganza on the other.
AS we build the ideals Of thrift, we
build character.
Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1917-12-28
Vain Thoudht.

"You are looking thin, Gadspur."
"That's true"
appetite poor?"
every. 1 was just thinking that If
my appetite for food were one-tenth
as voracious as my furnaces appetite
for coal, I would soon be tipping the
scales at 200 pounds"
Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1917-12-28

One person out of every ten who dies
today in our large cities is buried in
Potter's field.
Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1917-12-28

If the American people cannot learn
TO be thrifty, they cannot remain q
great nation.
The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1917-05-14

time to note that four men who have
been athletic captains at Yale dur
ing the last two years have already
needed the call to the colors.
Harry lie Gore, captain of the base
ball team; Holcomb York, captain of
the hockey team; Louis refguson,
who led one of Yale's greatest swim
ming teams, and Johnny Overton, cap
tain of the track and cross-country
teams, have enlisted for Service in the
marine corps.
Rex Hutchinson football center and
outfielder on the baseball team, has
also enlisted. i0NHbh -
The five athletes will receive tenn.
porary commissions, --''--~,.,.- :. --.,---:,-
The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1917-05-14
CHARLEY HICKMAN

Some old time ball players 60
,, in for farming, some Of them be.
GENE bank presidents and the
like. hut Charley Hickman, form.
er Cleveland, Detroit and Boston
Out.ficIder, has them all beat
Charley is mayor of Morgantown, w
Va, bustling mining and oil town
and likes his jch In MorgantoWn
they say Hickman does better job
OF mayoring than in chasing flies and
! Tying to fool the pitchers.
But being mayor doesn't keep Hick-
man from his. baseball. During the
spring he coaches the West Virginia
university ball team.
Hickman, a decade ago was a unique
figure in baseball.
In 1908 when signed by the Cleve-
land club he had practically lost his
batting eye and as he had never been
AN exceptional, fielder, many critics
wondered why he was taken on the
club.
The secret was that Hickman was
on the club as good fellow.
AS arly as 1908 Charlie Sommers
was having trouble ON his ball club.
Nap Lajoie was manager nd there
was disaffection. The club needed a
peacemaker and Kick was signed, be-
cause he was the most Apopular ball
player Of his day.
1t was his work around the hotels,
on the bench, around with the players
The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1917-05-14

State Of North Dakota; County of Bur
leigh-ss:s t%lffii. t;*y'<@l~ =, 3GI4
In district court, Sixth judicial dis
N. O. Ramstad, plaintiff VS.. Thomas
O'Shaughnessy, Thos. O'Shaugh
Messy, O. P. NJ. Jamison, H. j
Lowry, ]. G. JRapelje, Calvin H. Wal
tiers. The Attic Cracker & Spice
Company, r.. J. Chase, D. o. Pres
ton, Darius O. Preston, James NJ.
Anderson, Elizabeth M. Anderson
Robbins b. Anderson, Agnes S. An
derson, Jessie A. Chase, P. S. Dud'
ley, Paul r. Holden, John A. Rea,
j. A. Rea, Thomas S. Woodruff, and
all other persons unknown claiming
any estate or interest in or lien or
incumbrance upon the property de-
scribed in the complaint, defend
ants. t}H-.Ji,. = =.
The State, Of. North Dakota to- the
Above Named Defendants: -
You are hereby summoned to an
swer the complaint in this action,
which was filed in the Office of the
clerk of the district court of Burleigh
county, North Dakota, on the 23rd day
OF April, 1917, and to serve copy of
your answer to said complaint upon
the subscribers at their Offices in the
city of Bismarck, Burleigh county,
North Dakota, within thirty days after
the service of this summons upon you,
exclusive of the day of service; and
in case of your failure to appear or
answer, Judgment will be taken
against you by default for the relief
in the complaint. 4
Dated at Bismarck, North Dakota,
April 23rd, 1917.
NEWTON, DULLAM & YOUNG,
Attorneys for Plaintiff, Bismarck,
North Dakota. ..s
Notice.
To the Above Named Defendants:
You will please take notice that the
above entitled action relates to the
following described real property sit
uated in the city of Bismarck, Bur-
leigh county, North Dakota, to.wit:
Lots eleven QD, twelve Q2), thir-
teen 13). fourteen Q4), fifteen (15),
sixteen (16), seventeen 40, eighteen
1S), nineteen (19), twenty, (2O). twen-
ty-one (2D, twenty-five (22), twenty
three (23) and twenty-four (24l. Of
block three g., and lots nineteen
G9), twenty COY, twenty-cnc (2D
and twenty-five (22), of block four
teen Q4. all in McKenzie's addition
to the city of Bismarck, Burleigh
county, North Dakota; that the pur-
pose Of this action is. to quiet in plain
tiff the title to said real property;
and that no personal claim is made
against any of the defendants.
NEWTON, DULLAM & YOUNG,
Attorneys for Plaintiff, Bismarck,
North Dakota. .a
4.30 :5-7-14.21-2S:6.4,
The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1917-05-14
RUTGERS ATHLETES
. better STUDENTS
THAN N0|N::ATHL|ETE|::S'|

"
Athletes at Rutgers have shattered
the idea that athletics interfere with
scholastic work. Rutgers athletes,
as whole, have a higher average
than the rest of the student body.
Figures compiled by Dean Louis Be-
vier, made public at New Bruins
wick, N. j., indicate that the general
scholastic average Of all men engag-
ed in sathletics was 1913, as against
70 for non-athletes. E7F' ~
Among the athletes the gymnasium
team stood the highest with their
books, with an average Of 1855. Base
ball men showed that the national
game is a good brain developer, hav-
ing 75.5. The football men, how
ever, fumbled considerably more in
the classroom than on the gridiron
last fall, and were the tail-enders,
with 6S.6, though they had good
margin above the passing grade Of
GO. # rep r. ls.i. r
The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1917-05-14
]. C.. TO PLAY
!. KIRK KQ[FSS FOR
+: RED CROSS 0 FUND
Captain Jack oberg Will Have
Travellers Out for Practice
Saturday Afternoon

The curtain-raiser. for the Bismarck
baseball season will be real battle
next Sunday afternoon between Jack
Oberg's U. C. T., translated as I'm
pire Chasing Terriers. and Kinks
Kolts, last year champions Of the Miss
souri, slope. No admission fee will, be
charged, and there will be no passing
of the hat, but anyone whose spirit
is properly moved may contribute as
much as he pleases, and the more
the merrier, for the benefit of the
Bismarck Red Gross fund. s,fsl.
Captain Oberg has called out ais
terriers for practice next Saturday
afternoon, and he insists that every
man in the lineup show up, ready to
show some form. The Travellers have
one of the fastest aggregations that
ever ran home with an sQraaIM The
batting order will be: A. p fpttar,,
back stop; J. G. Oberg,d on the
mound; julius P. Sells, first .base;, B.
G.. Whitlock, second; E. D. Manning.
third; Harry, Stasek, short; P. r.
Fields, right; H. J. Zimmerman, cen
ter; c. r. Neher, left; P. H. Throdahl
will count the balls and strikes and
Felix Ulman will umpire bases. .... 3.
r. Bunny" Bonnell is the e. official
coach, and O. K. Olson chairman Of
the refreshment committee, more gen.
orally known as water boy. c. R.
Norton will tend the bats, and H. F.
Tiedman and e. G. Hanselman will
play the benches. Il
Chick Kirk, interviewed this morn.
ing, admitted that his Kolts will have
their hands full next Sunday. 1t will
be good opportunity to try the boys
Said the manager of the Bis.
marck champs. 'n'Practically every
man on the Z. C. T. lineup is an old
time star of collegiate or professional
baseball, and from what I've seen of
hem they have lost nothing of their
I'D time lore. We can promise the
people of Bismarck a battle worth
SEEING ... .
The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1917-05-14

ia eirFsameteorics rise to the national
championship. ss ~
1t is also likely that her easy vic.
tories in the East caused Miss Blur
sted TO relax somewhat in her play
and that she did not play her best
game against Mrs. Bundy and Miss
Browne. -.r.. r.. ~, ~.
But her defeats on the coast have
caused Miss Bjursted to redouble her
efforts to play invincible tennis in the
national tournament and her practice
games at this time show tennis form
OF the highest caliber. .a%:St .: a''
The first line on her tournament
form will be obtained when she en-
ters the metropolitan meet at Forest
Hills, L. l., May 10.
At this meet Miss ,Bjursted will
meet Florence Balm, Marie Wagner,
The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1917-05-14

former indoor champion, Miss Ger
trude de la Tore, Mrs. Edward Ray.
mond, title holder in 1914. and many
other of the best eastern stars. !,
Miss Bjursted thoroughly realizes
the Importance of this meet and is
sparing no efforts to prepare for it.
The champion learned the danger
Of Understanding her opponents in
her defeats on the coast and is TAX
ing no chances this year.
Those who know Mrs. Bundy real
ize that she will not come east to en-
ter the national tournament unless
she is convinced she has a very good
chance to win, and If she does decide
to enter the meet the greatest match
between women this country has ever
seen should be on the program when
the two women meet. ...a
The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1917-05-14
FOUR YALE CAPTAINS HEED NATIONS CALL

The announcement a&few days ago
that Harry LIE Gore, Yale football and
baseball tar,lilad refused a lucrative
offer from Owner Phil Ball to play
baseball with the St. Louis Browns
in order to serve Uncle Sam is not
surprising, when the patriotic tradi-
tons of Old Eli are considered.
Yale has always furnished it's quota
OF young men for our wars, more pro-
portionately than any other school
with the possible exception of Prince
ton. $500
Scores of Yale men served in the
Revolution, the War of 1912 and the
Civil war, and it is of interest at this
The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1917-05-14
OMAR KHAYAM
/. WINS: DERBY

Louisville, KY, May i14.-In one of
the most brilliant exhibitions of
stretch running ever seen here, Omar
Khayyam, carrying the colors of Bill
ings and Johnson of New York, and
trained by c. T. Patterson, won the
forty-third renewal of the Kentucky
derby at Churchill Downs Saturday
before the largest crowd that has
ever witnessed the event. The i'm
ported Marco-Lisma colt carried 1T
pounds and ran the mile and a quar-
ter in 2:O4 So. This is the richest
stake for three-year-olds in America
and was worth $4,000 net to the
winner.
The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1917-05-14
NS1)|0Rl9
l(tI;lA['IEl|B

Recruiting officer rejects Bill Rig
Ter on account of. a twisted; finger. The
officer probably never saw Bill in ac-
ton.
Walter Johnson has lost two or
three games this season. Even Wal
ter can't win without one or two
players to help him.
Prunes is the name of a horse at
Havre de Grace. Probably would be
a better name for a rassler.
iris Speaker has found out that it
doesn't pay to fool with Baron Bans
umpires. i.ssN r
Freddie Welsh has six bathrooms at
his Long Island home. We know
some boxers who wouldn't know what
to do with one.
Jess Willard, who offered to enlist
when war was first declared, is singu-
larly silent on the subject now that
the circus checks are coming in regu-
larly.
Night Owl ran last in Pimlico
race All of which proves that even
horse can't be that and hope to win.
Rassling is not affected by the war,
says a contem. Nobody to be affect
ed but the rasslers and they won't
fight. ~
Things to Lose Sleep Over.
What has become of Dave Fultz
and the baseball fraternity?
Cubs win on squeeze. (Headline.)
That's the way lot of war bride.
grooms lost.
In the box scores iMts stands for
Mathewson and 'Wbs for Wambs-
ganss, but what on earth does Kstg
stand. for-Ernie? (A) Matters of
opinion not answered in this column.
Figuring his stays in the majors,
Bunny Briefs name is just about
ri9ht. i'sSi FL