davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Alma record., 1917-06-07
FREIGHT CONDITION BAD

b. l.. McDermit Of Saginaw train
master for the p. NJ, who has been
in Alma for the past few days, try
ing to adjust freight conditions dur
ing the construction Of the new
freight depot, in an interview stated
that as far as his company was cor
cerned the freight conditions hereaft-
er should be much better. At the
present time conditions are practical
ly up to the people and the dray-
men. as the freight office is full of
local freight and until this is NOV
ed no more can be unloaded from the
cars into the freight house.
He suggests that more drays in AL
ma would be a good thing or that the
draymen be prodded by the merchant.
into caring for their freight. One
case in particular he gave out where
freight for a business man, unnam-
ed, had been in the freight house for
several days, a drayman left it there
for longer period because he was
too busy moving people, to take the
time to care for it. Such deliveries
are not what the merchants want, or
the kind that will relieve freight con-
ditions.
If the draymen of the city don't gee
busy with this freight, they will aid
in tieing up freight here again, and
also aid in encouraging others to
start in the business. Perhaps il
would be a fine idea to have several
more anyway, so that person could
get little draying done when it l.
needed.
Alma record., 1917-06-07
CAUSING TROUBLE
City Wells Being Driven Causing
Others TO Go Dry.

a drilling machine has been busy
fol the past couple of weeks sinking
wells for the water supply which has
long been desired here, and good wa
ten is being located. but this is not
being accomplished without few
hardships to various citizens.
1t seems that as the wells are going
down others, owned by private indiv-
iduals, are gradually being dried up
being on higher ground than those
which the city is sinking. One OF
these is the large well on the Union
school grounds. across from the bird
park, where the city is sinking its
wells.
Just what will be the result when
more wells are sunk is hard TO tell
Ii is also a question whether or not
these wells will continue to go dry
and remain so, when the wells of the
city are all sunk and furnishing wa
tea for the community.
Alma record., 1917-06-07
LOCAL RED CROSS
STILL AFTER MEMBERS
Campaign Committee Did Fine
Work But More Members
Are Wanted to List.

Alma has not furnished her quota of
members to the Red Cross organiza-
alton.
Our country asks the cooperation
Of every man, woman and child in the
United States in increasing the mem
bership of the Red Cross.
The splendid efforts of the COM
mittee Of fifty-three members which
canvaSsed the city last week for MEM
bors in the Alma unit for Gratiot
county chapter of the American Ma
tional Red Cross organization result
ed in adding over three hundred names
tC the county chapter membership
roll. Many We're prevented from join
/ ing last week through illness or alb
sence from home, for the benefit of
/ those, arrangements have been made
whereby they may pay their dues and
receive their Red Cross button at the
following places: Murphey's drug
store, Slater 4 Goodies clothing store
the county clerks office and with
Mr.. Draper at the Wright House.
The American Red Cross is ma
tional organization. 1t acts under
a charter from the government. Con
gress passed the act Incorporating it.
This act made the president its Of
fetal head Of representatives of the
army and navy on its directing staff
In other words. the Red Cross is off
cially as much a part Of the govern
ment machinery as the army itself
Despite this official standing, how
ever. the Red Cross must depend upor
voluntary service of women and men
II is the great volunteer army that
ii serving humanity as well as tho
nation. The funds for carrying on
the work of this great army are Sc.
cured through subscriptions anC
membership dues There are sis
classes Of membership dues Annua
member Sl00 per year, Subscribing
member $1,000 per year. Life mem
ben S25.00 one payment and Patror
member $4,000 one payment
Fifty per cent of all annual due.
is sent to national headquarters
From sixty per cent Of subscribing
members dues to one hundred pei
cent of patron members dues goe.
to national headquarters. The Rec
Cross magazine is included I'M all ex
cept the annual membership.
All money collected except the ma
tional organization apportionment j.
used by the county chapter to pur
chase material for making surgica
and hospital supplies. A member
ship in the Red Cross does not nee
essarily carry with it any response
bility either of work or field service
Ii gives thousands of people in ever,
community the only opportunity the,
have to furnish voluntary aid in thi
great world crisis. The cause is great
hospital garments, hospital supplies
and surgical dressings are needed h
large quantities for the use Of wound
ed soldiers and sailors. The time i
ripe, the Red Cross needs funds. He'll
place Alma on the list with othe
cities who are doing their share TO
humanity by giving your name to an,
one of the following ladies': Mrs. Ar
thur Donnelly. chairman Of mem
bership committee; Mrs. c. a. Miller
Mrs. Glenn Rockwell, Mrs. VIII Ew
ing, Mrs. Bamber, Mrs. f. G. Sluyter
Miss Edna Macomber and Miss Am,
Hayes.
Alma record., 1917-06-07
SPEEDING
Hitting High Spots Sunday Brought
4 Fine Monday.

1t is related that on Sunday {. II.
Taylor hit a few Of the high spots on
West Superior street and that in so
doing he passed the residence Of Mar
shall Rogers, who happened TO see
Taylor eating up the ground and as
IA result Taylor marched to justice
court and paid fine.
Taylor was arrested Monday. and
promptly retained Marcus Pollasky to
defend him. Mr.. Pollasky demanded
jury trial, and one was hastily got
ten together and the court adjourned
from Justice Stones Office to the more
commodious room in the city hall
which is used by the common council.
Here for some hours Attorney Pol
lasky and City Attorney Spinney
dwet on the merits Of the case and
finally about 10 p. m. the case went
into the iury's hands An hour was
needed for the six members of the
jury to agree that Taylor had been
exceeding the speed limit, but they
finally did reach such an agreement
and so told the court.
Justice Stone thereupon handed
Mr. Taylor fine of $1,000 and costs
of prosecution, which amounted to
S15.12. or else said Mr. Taylor would
be given leave TO board with the
sheriff for ten days. Needless to say
Mr.. Taylor paid his fine
Mr. Taylor. who is consulting en-
gineer for the Republic Motor Truck
Company. Inc. had number Of wit
nesses to testify that he was care
ful, painstaking driver, etc, but could
not succeed in convincing the jury
that he should not be given a warn
ing of what il means to exceed the
speed limit.
Alma record., 1917-06-07
DEGREES GIVEN
ARE ANNOUNCED
Twenty Seniors at College viii
Receive \. B. and Two VIII
Get B. ). Degrees.

The examinations for the year at
Alma college are over and next week
twenty-five young men and ladies will
be graduated from the college, all Of
whom viii receive degrees.
President H. NJ. Crooks, d. d., will
give the baccalaureate address Sun
day evening at the Presbyterian
church. The address will be based
upon the text, Behold, the Nations
Are as a Drop from the Bucket" The
commencement exercises will be held
Wednesday at which time Rev Char
les f. Wishart of Chicago, will give
the commencement address on the
subject, THE Sons of Mary and the
Sons of Martha"
1t is expected that several hon
orary degrees will be conferred by the
board of trustees at the commence
ment exercises, but they will not be
announced before next Wednesday
Other speakers will be Rev. Geo. B.
Stewart, d. d., president of Auburn
seminary, and Harriet Vittum of
Northwestern Settlement. Chicago.
The following degrees will be
awarded to the members of the grad
uating class: A. B., Morton Ault of
Petersburg, Ernest Bacon of Mid
land Adelaide Ballou of Stanton, Eff
ford Beverly of Alma, Annawave
Coleman of Hastings, Ammeretta De
Witt Of Spring Lake, Lester Doerr OF
Traverse City, Violet Elliott Of Elk
ton, Clarence Haltman of st. Louis
Edward Johnston Of Yale. Vernon
Lansing of Bay City. j. A. MacAuley
of Calumet. Pauline Markham ol
Charlevoix, Lydia Resseguie Of Alma
Isadore Friedman Of East Tawas
Wilhelmine Ritter Of New York
Chester Robinson of Plainwell. G
Carl Titus Of Alma, Efreda Edele OF
Alma and Edna Fard of Charlevoix
B. S. degree will be given to FREQ
Porter Of Alma and Ray BeshgetooI
Of Alma.
Fred r. Perry Of Detroit will re-
coive the degree \. b. as of the elias.
Of 1896.
Alma record., 1917-06-07
FESTIVAL At
SCHOOL FINE
Two Thousand People Crowded
the Union School Grounds
TO See Fine Event.
BEST THE SCHOOL EVER HELD
About -Four Hundred Pupils of the
Public schools Took Part in the
Great Affair.

The May festival Of the public
schools Of this city, which has been
tponed several times because of
the weather conditions, was held Mon
day afternoon on t0o grounds of the
onion school, and drew a crowd that
has been estimated al being over p
600 The May festival was one Of the
finest things o the kind which has
ever been eivc' in Alma and drew
rounds OF applause from the large
audience
The crowd facked the west side of
The school grounds. and overtlowed
ontu the road and the bridge. making
both the sriGge and road almost i'm
paasable turing the festival which
lasted for almost two hours.
The 'irs, portion Of the program
consisted Of cantata. "The Wood
land Princess" which was rendered
in most cha ming manner by the
pupils III the Ward chool. who ha
iten c.rctttd ly Miss Jones The
story of the play which was closely
followed i'o iht in elves, fairies, pop
"a
story IN brief follows
Once upon time little girl named
Elsa lived i'm deep , ood. She was
gentle and good but not at all beau
utul Prince .i.uhlepeg wished to
marry her but the Lord High Be-
throthal Maker objected The fairy
with the help of flower sprites and
snomes changed Elsa into beautiful
maiden. Prince Mimblepeg who es-
capped from confinement recognized
he by means of duet which he had
taught her, and when the Lord High
Bcthrothal Maker saw her he with
drew all objects and they lived hap
! PLY ever after.
Ielma Goodies took the part of the
Buttercup. Geraldine Holmes, the
part of the Elderberry; Duane Per-
rigo, the part of Prince Mimblepeg:
Rose Mitchell. the part of the Lord
High Bethrothal Maker; Arthel But
tric took part Of Elsa; and Eleanor
Church, the part Of the Fairy
In part two of the festival. the high
school gymnasium classes gave the
ring dance and then the scarf dance,
both of which indicated long and ar
duous practice on the part of the
classes, and which were exceedingly
well rendered.
The final part of the festival, the
pageant, "The Melting Pot" was per-
haps the finest of all. The students
of the various grades were dressed in
the apparel Of the different nations
and each in their order came TO the
front and sang the national airs Of
the countries which they represent
Included in these countries were Ho-
land. Norway, Russia, Italy. France
and England. After singing the airs
of these countries, the youngsters all
joined together in the singing of the
American national airs, Indicative of
the blending of the peoples of the va
rious nations into Americans. I'm
Gle Sam was present at the affair IL
the person of Clayton Redman and
Miss Columbia was typified by Mis-
Ethel Landon.
The May festival was the finest
thing OF the kind that the pupil
schools have ever attempted and il is
to be hoped that such endeavors will
pe continued in the future, as they
sid in bringing the schools closer o
the parents and the students closer
to the work of the schools.
Alma record., 1917-06-07
Breckenridge Took First Place
Over Alma With Single
Point Lead for HOnOrS.
ALMA WON THE RELAY RACE
81. Louis and Alma High Schools
Failed To Compare With the Two
Other Schools.

The annual Gratiot county field
meet, held Friday, slipped away from
the local high school by one single
point, when st. Louis failed to take
second place i'm the relay race, after
Alma had taken first. Breckenridge
won second in the relay and the three
points gave her the meet with just an
edge over Alma high.
The meet was a highly interesting
affair, Breckenridge and Alma being
neck and neck all afternoon, with Ell
ther team having a chance to take the
honors clear to the last event of the
day.
Alma took six frsts in the meet.
Breckenridge five and St. Louis one.
/ Ithaca high failed to land a first place
IN any event during the entire meet,
hen depleted team making the poorest
showing that Ithaca has ever made.
The Ithaca team has been hit hard
by young men leaving school to en-
! list or work on farms, while the other
three schools presented their full
strength.
Summary: lO0-yard DASH Howe,
Alma. first; Herschberger, Alma,
second; Anderson. Breckenridge,
third; Bailey. Breckenridge. third;
Bailey, Breckenridge, fourth. Time,
1908
220-yard hurdles Hcrschberger,
Alma, ,rst; Hayward. Alma, second;
Anderson, Breckenridge. third; Full
cher, St. Louis, fourth. Time, %
seconds.
44O-yard Wheaton, Alma,
first; Sawvel, Breckenridge, second;
Walker, Alma. third; Price, Ithaca,
fourth. Time, 56:l.
Pole vault--Bailey and Anderson
Of Breckenridge tied for first and see
ond; Wilson, st. Louis, third; Burn
ham. st. Louis, fourth. Height, 10
feet 2 inches.
Half Whitney. st. Louis,
first; Sawvel, Breckenridge, second
Gilbert, St. Louis, third; Hayward,
Alma, fourth. Time, 2:1s.
Discus-Anderson, Breckenridge,
first; Cash, Alma. second Sackett
Ithaca, third; Belts, Ithaca, fourth
Distance. 90 feet Z inches.
Shot put-Anderson, Breckenridge
first; Belts, Ithaca, second; Fulcher
ST Louis, third: Burnham. st. Louis
fourth Distance, SO feet / inches
Mile run--Sawvel, Breckenridge
first; Gilbert. st. Louis, second; Sad
Ter, Alma. third; Walker. Alma
fourth. Time, 4:45.
Broad jump-Howe, Alma, first;
Anderson, Breckenridge, second; Wal
ker, Alma, third; Bailey. Brecken-
ridge, fourth. Distance, 10 feet II Y
inches.
220-yard dash. Howe. Alma, first
Wheaton, Alma. second Anderson
Breckenridge, third; Bailey. Breck-
enridge, fourth. Time. % seconds.
High Anderson. Brecken.
ridge. first; Burnham, St Louis, sec.
ond Bailey. Breckenridge third; An.
drews. ST. Louis, fourth Height,
feet 3 inches.
Relay-Alma tHowe, Walker
Wheaton, Herschberger). first; Breck
cnridge. second; St. Louis, failed t.
finish. Time, :42
Alma record., 1917-06-07
RESIGNS POSITION
English Professor at Alma College
Will Go to Detroit.

Professor Otto w. Hedges, A. NJ
Gilston, professor of English speech
at Alma college, has rendered his res
ignaton to the Board of Trustees.
Professor Hedges has been at Al
ma college for the past two years
coming here after having taught IN
Miami university and other schools
of equal ranking. he has been offer
ed fine position in one of the large
high schools in the city Of Detroit,
and feeling that such a position Of
fered him a better chance TO continue
in his chosen line, decided to accept
the offer.
Alma record., 1917-06-07
LIBERTY LOAN MEETINGS

Liberty loan meetings are being
held this week, and Alma will have "a
big meeting Friday evening at
Wright Opera House Meetings Will
be- held Saturday evening as follows:
Sumner Eiwell. North Star, River
dale and st. Louis. Attend one Of
them. and learn how you can help
your country, even though YOU can't
90 to Europe TO fight.
Alma record., 1917-06-07
SEES 4 SEA BATTLE

S. d. Briggs. former st. Louis boy,
and one time Record employee, re
Gently back from Europe, saw bat
tie between a merchant ship and a
German sub. while enroute to this
country. lie told of the battle in n
story which appeared in the Minnea-
polls Journal, relating how the sub
fired two torpedoes at the ship and
how the gunners on the merchant
ship finally disabled the sub and can
,tured it. He says that business in
Europe is going on as usual and is
perhaps better than before the war
Mr.. Briggs is now resident of Min
neapolis.
Alma record., 1917-06-07
WHITNEY STOCK COMPANY

The Whitney Stock company which
is playing Alma this week is again
giving to Alma theatre lovers a num-
Der of their high class plays which
are drawing crowds every evening
The company is playing under can
vas just to the east Of the Alma Rol-
Ter Mills.
Two high class plays are billed for
the final two nights Of the engage
ment of this company. and lovers OF
good shows will not find it amiss ia
take in these attractions.
Alma record., 1917-06-07

During the early hours of the day
the registration booths here were
crowded to the limit and some were
forced to wait for an hour or more
70 be registered. The Republic Mo-
tor Truck Company, Inc, was closed
for the entire day to allow the work
men Of the company plenty Of time IN
which to register.
The Alma Record next week will
give the complete summary for the
entire county, including every pre-
cinct.
Returns from the state are as yet
incomplete, but are complete enough
to show that all estimates on the reg.
istration in Michigan were far toe
small The state shows rcgistra.
tion Of from 25,000 to 10000 larger
than any estimates which had beer
made around the capital in Lansing
Final returns on the entire state vii
probably show a registration of about
325,0O0 young men in Michigan. be-
tween the ages Of 2l and 81. ovei
half Of whom in all probability, viii
not be exempt from army service fol
any reason.
The most surprising increases ii
ae state came from Detroit. Flint
Lansing and other smaller industrial
centers, where increases in popula
ton. due to the demand of workmen
have come rapidly since the last GOV
eVpDapt eapepc
1t Is expected that arrangement
fol the draft will be we'll under wa,
before another week is over and tha
, it will be held before the end of Jun,
or the fore part of July The Recor,
will publish facts in this connection
as soon as they are obtainable.
Alma record., 1917-06-07
W. c. T. L. NOTES
What it would do.

WHAT II would do.
The Philadelphia North American
tells us that the grain used in the IL
qGor industry of the United States
would make 100000 loaves Of
bread every day in the year-enough
to supply the combined armies of
France, Great Britain and America,
when we take the field. Belgium
could be fed for a year on the grain
we pake into whiskey.
Alma record., 1917-06-07

Buy lots in Detroit, the fastest
growing city in the world. See II.
Darwin Dampier, Hotel Arcadia
Adv.
Alma record., 1917-06-07
WOOL-WOOL

am ready for your wool and will
pay the highest market price. Bring
il along. Beans are on the decline
(94-1t-c) NELSON SMITH.
Alma record., 1917-06-07

Free trip to Detroit, leaving Alma
Saturday noon. See II. Darwin Dam
pier, Hotel Arcada.-Adv.
Alma record., 1917-06-07

Free trip to Detroit, leaving Alma
Saturday noon. See II. Darwin Dam
pier, Hotel Arcadia.
Alma record., 1917-06-07
ALMAS SONS MAKE
A FINE SHOWING
Six Hundred and Seventy-siN of
Alma's Young Men Went to
Polls and Registered.

Alma went quietly about the bus
mess Of registering her sons for mil
itary duty Tuesday, June 9TH, and
turned in total that was a grea'
surprise 10 those who had made cs-
Inmates o. the number that would en-
roll here. SIX hundred and seventy
six sons of America stepped into the
registration booths in this city and
added their names 10 the list of those
capable of bearing arms in behalf Of
their country.
The count in Gratiot county was not
entirely available up to the time of
going TO press The need for hurry
in the matter of forwarding the lists
from the county seat made it next TO
impossible to secure an accurate count
Of the county's total. and IN q few
cases the vote of the precincts was
not in the hands Of the county COM
mittec.
Estimates have the count in Gra-
tiot county lower than what had been
expected. County Clerk Case late
Wednesday estimated that the count
in Gratiot county would not exceed
twenty-five hundred and that it might
not run a great deal over two thou
Sond.
If the above estimate is found to be
correct. Alma will have turned in the
names of over one-fourth of the
young men Of the county. who are of
military age. with her count of GO,
another fact that will be found SUR
prsing in connection with the reg
istration.
Following are the returns from the
various wards of Alma.
Alma record., 1917-06-07

Who is the girl of the Double
Cross ADV.
Alma record., 1917-06-07

Who is the girl Of the Double
Cross ADV.
Alma record., 1917-06-07

Mystery of the Double Cross" 49,
Idlehour.-Adv.
Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1917-05-03

State. 1t would perhaps suffice
if the State undertook no new
functions, but it is the history of
every civilized state in the world
that new functions are being
constantly undertaken. So new
sources of revenue must be
found, or old ones made to yield
more. Also old state functions
constantly demand larger ap-
preparation. There must be an
elastic factor in a satisfactory
tax system. We see that the
general property tax is not suit
able for this purpose. While all
taxpaying is more or less irritat-
ing, it is only common sense to
strive to keep the dissatisfaction
at a minimum. james Warsaw
Bell, B. P, M. A., Professor of
Economics and Political Science.
Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1917-05-03

ent
tina bewee w al y h
Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1917-05-03
The General Property Tax

The general property tax in
cludes tax on all forms of
property, personal as we'll as
real. 1t is usually assessed at so
much on the value, mills per
dollar, cents per hundred dollars,
or dollars per thousand. The tax
value. is generally what the
property is worth in an open
market.
Every system of taxation
should be based on certain prin-
ciples. Among these is one
which might be termed elasticity,
Some years the State needs more
income than others. There
should be some part of the sys-
tenn which may be called on to
give this increased amount. The
general property tax as designed
10 serve this purpose. 1t would
easy in theory to raise or
,uwer the rate, and thereby in
crease or decrease the income of
re State. But in practice this
does not work we'll. The selling
value of most property is the
ct income capitalized at the
current rate of interest. For
G ample, here is a farm from
W hich the owner receives a net
i Income of $500 per annum. The
selling value of that farm, based
on this income, would be tat
sum which put at interest at the
current rate, say 6 per cent,
would yield $500 per annum, or
$4,000. Now, say the tax should
be raised so that the owner of
the farm must poy $50 more tax
on the farm. His net income is
now $40 per annum. Capitalize
this at 6 per cent AM you have
$4,000 as the selling value of the
farm. Of course property own
ers object to a raise in the tax
rate on property.
A man who buys property
which has been paying certain
tax rate does not pay the tax as
a matter of fact. He pays less
for the property by the amount
f-the annual tax capitalized at
the current rate Of interest. He
pays the tax on any subsequent!
increase in the value of the pro-
perry, but not on the original
purchase price. That tax has
been capitalized and deducted
from the capital value of the
property. So while it was
thought that the general pro-
perty tax would furnish the
elastic element in our system,
experience has shown that it is
next to impossible to get a legis-
lature to increase the ad valorem
tax rate. 1t is not sufficient that
the value of property increase
with with the progress of the