davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Middletown transcript., 1917-09-01
BILLION TONS OF
SHIPPING U. S. AIM
Many Ships Planned Besides
Those Commandeered.
TOTAL COST $2,000,000,O 900
Nearly Eight Million Tons Of Ameri-
can Shipping Proposed In Addition
To Nearly Two Million Now
Building In Yards.

Washington. - The governments
shipbuilding program calls for a total
Of 1,270 ships of 7,96S,OOO tonnage, it
was revealed in estimates the Shipping
Board has sent to Secretary McAdoo
on which to base request for a new
$1,000, 100000 appropriation.
This is in addition to nearly 2,Q00,-
600 tons of shipping now building in
American yards, which has been COM
mandeered by the Emergency Fleet
Corporation. A large part of the gov
ernment feet and of the commandeer-
ed fleet will have been completed by
the end of the fiscal year, June 80,
1918. Building, communicating and
purchases of vessels will total about
S2,000,000,000.
Middletown transcript., 1917-09-01
A Domestic INDIGNATION

Il just can't get along with my hux-
band, and that's all there is to it," re-
marked the square-jawed woman.
Il understand you begged him VIII,
tears in your eyes not to go into the
army if he could possibly avoid it,"
Il did talk rather sentimentayTy
about the fear of losing him. And h.
made my affection an excuse to nut
Up such an argument for exempticu
that they'll probably let him out. I've
got to look forward to having a slack
er sitting around the house all throushe
the war !-Washington Star.
Middletown transcript., 1917-09-01
TRACE OF MERMAID
Scientists Find Skeleton Half Hu-
man and Half Fish.
Ancients of All Races Believed That
Beautiful Sea Maidens Once Lived
Maybe Our Forbears Wore
Fins and Scales.

Mermaids were not mythical crea
lures at all, but real, living beings, &C
cording to some scientists, who, il
support of this belief, point to thu
skeleton of q strange animal, half hu
man and half fish, said to be more
than 1000 years old and reported tt
have been found deeply imbedded in
sand on the coast of China. This
skeleton, however is said to be con
siderably smaller than the proportions
of a mermaid, according to popular
conception, which pictures her with a
form much the same as that of a won.
an. 1t is pointed out, however, that
this skeleton might have belonged to
dwarf of the species, or to a kind
of fish which is said to have been COM
mon in Chinese waters about 5000 B.
G. And it is conceivable that the
creature might have grown to larger
size in a different climate.
The skeleton which has come to
light after centuries is described as
having had a head, shoulders and
arms like those of woman, rs proved
by the formation Of the bones and
skull. The lower half of the body
became petrified, and in all respects
was like the tail of fish, with several
fins. On the head and the upper por-
ton Of the body a shriveled skin was
found, similar to that of an Egyptian
mummy. If further proof were need
ed, 1t would seem to be supplied by
few strands of hair on the head. Der
matologists have decided that this
was once f1axen and grew abundantly.
Every story of mermaid pictured
a gOddess-like creature sitting upon a
rock in the sea, cOmbing her hair. Al
most every one of the ancient races
left behind them accounts of the mer-
maid. These have been discredited
for ages, being grouped with other
myths such as the Greeks entertained.
The sea serpent and dragon of such
terrible aspect described by writer's Of
old were ranked with the mermaid as
q figment of Imagination. But the dis
cOvery of this skeleton, it is claimed.
discredits all the theories of civilian
ton and brings to the fore once more
the question SO often asked-were
there really mermaids?
The name mermaid is of Teutonic
origin, corresponding with triton and
siren as used in antiquity. The Chal-
deans called this creature Cannes, the
Chinese named her Wimpus and even
one tribe of American Indians were
said to have had a legend of the mer-
maid, in which they term her Ottawes
1t has been one of the uneXplainable
points of the mermaid legend that so
many peoples in such distant parts of
the globe believed in the reality of
half woman and half fish. 1t
would be hard to imagine two races
further apart than the Chaldeans and
the Indians, but both knew of the mer-
maid.
Whatever of truth there may be in
the reported finding of this skeleton,
It, at any rate, opens anew one of the
most fascinating chapters in the lore
IF mankind.
Middletown transcript., 1917-09-01
REDUCING Fire Hazard.

1t is of the utmost consequence that
every individual in the United States
consider himself a committee of one
to cooperate in the removal of all un-.
necessary fire hazards that may come;
within his knowledge. The urgency of
this cannot by any possibility be ex,
aggerated, says the Scientific Ameri-
can. The difference between adequate
attention to this warning by every resi-
ident of our country, and its complete
neglect by all concerned, might very
well be the difference between winning.
the war and losing it. And while of
course this figure is an overdrawn one
in the sense that certainly everybody
will not ignore the warning any more
than everybody will heed it, this fact
does not in any degree diminish the
of individual responsibility,
Everyone of US can contribute some,
thing to the lessening of the fire loss
for the year to come.
Middletown transcript., 1917-09-01
WILSON EXEMPTS
ALL BREADW|NNERS
Married Men With Dependents
Not to Be Drafted.
CANNOT ASK WIFE TO WORK
Orders Issued From Washington That
None Shall Be Taken If Wives
Would Be Forced To
Work.

Washington.-Att the direct sugges.
ton of President Wilson, Provost Mar
shal-General Crowder telegraphed to
all Governors supplemental explana
ton of regulations governing the
status of married men under the Selec.
tive Service law No change in regu-
1ation is made and the purpose Of the
new statement is to clear up misunder-
standings which have arisen in what
General Crowder describes as "a few
instances"
In letter to Secretary Baker,
quoted by General Crowder, President
Wilson states his opinion that the
regulation directing local boards ito
establish the fact of dependents in ad-
dition to the fact of marriage ought
not to be abrogated." This leaves the
regulations as they are and the sup
Elementary statement is designed
merely to make the application of the
rules uniform among all boards
Mobilization Plans Changed.
While the statement regarding mar
fied men was in preparation, new or
ders were issued, changing entirely
the mobilization arrangements previ-
ously made. Congestion of rail traffic
and the necessity of making better
provision for the reception Of the men
at the cantonments dictated the
changes.
Under the new orders, 5 per cent. of
the white men, preferably those with
military experience from each local
area, will be started forward to the
camps September 5, instead of 80 per
cent. They will go in five daily de-
tachments of equal size and form
skeleton company organizations and
set up a going concern into which the
remainder of the total quota can be
absorbed without confusion as they
reach the cantonments.
The next 40 per cent. of the quota
will go forward September 10, when
the second 80 per cent originally was
scheduled to go; second 40 per cent
will go forward October 8, instead Of
the third 80 per cent, and the remain
Ing Is per cent. will be called up as
sOOr thereafter as practicable
Local boards are directed to disre-
gard order of liability numbers to
same extent in selecting the first 5
per cent, as men of experience, such
as cooks and former soldiers, are de-
sired at that time. Warning is given,
however, against getting into this levy,
by reason of his experience, any man
who might not otherwise have been
district at all.
Middletown transcript., 1917-09-01
He Had Been Drawn.

Capt. Ian Hay Beth, addressing the
Chicago City club, recently told the
following story to illustrate his state
ment that life in the trenches had it's
moments of comedy:
"There were two friends in separ-
ate bays of trench. Whenever a
shell burst near by one would cry out,
Are you all right, Bill?' and the an
swer would come back, Yes, I'm all
right After this had happened sew
eral times the second man cried out:
Yes, I'm all right, but what's the ex-
citement aboutY Then the first one
answered: The men over here, have
gotten up a sweepstake on who's 60
ing to be hit next, and I've drawn
you.'"
Middletown transcript., 1917-09-01
Their Conclusion

Inc reading lesson was the story OF
poor prisoner shut up in a narrow
cen and the teacher was trying to sec
II the children really understood wf.st
tney We're reading-"and through the
small window came a bar of sunlight
striklns against the grim wall as if it
wished TO brighten the captive's drearT
hre. He reached up, trying to get =
glimpse Of the outer world"
NOW, why was he so anxious to lock
out?' said the teacher.
TO see who threw the soap," NJ
swered the class, in one voice.
Middletown transcript., 1917-09-01
THE ITALIANS PRESS FORWARD.
Capture Sixty Guns and Send Back
From Front 10000 Prisoners.

Rome.-The War Office reports that
the battle on the lsonzo front con-
tinues and that about 60 guns have
been captured.
General Cadorna announces that the
Italians stormed new Austrian posi-
tons, broke up violent counter-at-
tacks made by the enemy and took
large number of Austro-Hungarian
prisoners.
More than 10000 prisoners, the War
Office statement says, have been re-
moved from the Austro-Italian front
by the Italians.
Middletown transcript., 1917-09-01
Had an Alias.

In order to save his dogs life, How
ard S. Lewis of Hutchison made public
announcement last week that he had
changed the animals name from Kais-
er to Dennis. Il really was afraid
someone would take a shot at him."
Judge Lewis explained, "and, besides,
the kaiser's names Dennis, anyway
Kansas City Star.
Middletown transcript., 1917-09-01
Beoonias in Philippines.

The Philippine islands are very pro-
ductive of begonias and California
begonia expert is responsible for the
statement that of late some sixty spe-
cies and varieties never known to COM
merce have of late been found in our
far eastern insular possessions. 1t is
feared, however, that all of these need
tropical temperatures and, therefore,
are only subjects for greenhouse cul-
tire
Middletown transcript., 1917-09-01
HIS INSlDES ALL TWISTED.
Georgia Mans Heart Misplaced and
Stomach Upside Down.

Cumberland, Md.-Charles McAuley,
Of Boston, Ga, an expert peach packer,
vas operated on at the Allegany Hos
.pital, this city, for perforation of
the stomach and, much to the surprise
of the surgeons, the operation dis
closed the fact that his heart is on his
right side, the appendix on the left,
the spleen on the right, and his
At empties to the left instead of the
right side of the body. McCauley is
in serious condition as a result of
the perforation of the stomach.
Middletown transcript., 1917-09-01
Modern Whaling.

A whaling ship hasn't been seen in
New York for years, but a big Norwe-
gian ship named Thor 1 arrived there
the other day with $4,000 barrels of.
oil taken from 297 whales. The old
fashioned way of whale catching has
gone out of use. The Thor is simply
a mother ship, and four steam traw-
lers chase and capture the whales and
bring them to the Thor for the work
Of cutting up and trying out to be
done. There is no romance in the
modern game.
Middletown transcript., 1917-09-01
FORD'S SON ASKS EXEMPTION
Passed BY Physicians, Makes Indus
trial Claim.

Detroit, Mich.-Edsel Ford, son of
Henry Ford, the multi-millionaire
manufacturer, was examined by local
draft board and it was announced he
passed the physical tests. Ford
claimed exemption on industrial
grounds. Ford is one of the officers
Of his fathers automobile company,
which is now working on orders for
the Red Cross.
Middletown transcript., 1917-09-01
STOLEN STATUARY FOUND.
u. S. Secret Service Men Recover
Head OF Hyqeia.

Washington.-The secret service has
recovered famous piece of Greek
statuary, "the head of Hygeia," stolen
last December from the museum at
Tegea, Greece. Mr.. Vouros, charge of
the Greek legation here, who some
months ago sought assistance of the
United States in tracing and finding
the statue, was notified that it had
been found in the possession of wom-
IN in New York and would be turned
over to him for return to Greece.
Middletown transcript., 1917-09-01
GOV. FERGUSON REMOVED
Suspended Pending Action On Articles
Of impeachment.

Austin, Texas.-James E. Ferguson
was suspended from the office of gov
ernor of Texas, when the board of nine
managers named by the House of Rep
resentatives presented to the Senate
q articles of Impeachment, alleging
official misconduct. w. P. Hobby.
lieutenant governor, automatically sue.
ceeded to the governorship, pending
disposition of the charges in the
Senate.
Middletown transcript., 1917-09-01
SUFFRAGE PIckETs FINED.
Give Bond Pending Decision On
Motion For New Trial.

Washington.-The six woman's party
banner-bearers arrested in front of the
White House were sentenced in the
police court to pay fines of $25 or to
serve 80 days in jail. They gave s1OO
bonds pending decision on motion for
a new trial.
Middletown transcript., 1917-09-01
TWO AMERICANS HONORED.

Receive French War Crosses For
Heroism At Front.
Paris.-Charles NJ. Ashton, Jr., of
Philadelphia, and Charles w. Isbell,
of North Adams, Mass, both Dart
mouth students in the American ambu-
lance field service, were awarded war
crosses. The presentation was made
at the American military hospital at
Neuilly where the two men are re-
covering from injuries received a
month ago while removing wounded
under fire in the Champagne region.
Middletown transcript., 1917-09-01
The Ump Gets His

The French haze discovered that
American baseball fits men for throw.
ing hand grenades with precision and
efficiency. 1t also affords fine and
perfectly legitimate chance to kill the
umpire favoring the other side.
Middletown transcript., 1917-09-01
$3.50 ASK EXEMPTION,
Young Men Of New York Apparently
Not EAGER To Eiuht

New York.-The first official figures
of the draft in New York city, which
do not include % of the 1S9 exemp-
ton boards, show that 122,257 young
men have been examined and that of
this number 82494 have been declared
physically qualified, of whom $3.50
claimed exemption.
Roscoe Conkling, Deputy Attorney
General in charge of the draft here,
said it is estimated that but 1914 men
were needed TO complete the quota for
the city of 3S,621
Middletown transcript., 1917-09-01
PRIVATE JOHN JONES,
FRENCH TAKE FAMOUS HILL.
With Brilliant Dash They Carry BY
Storm important StronuhoId.

Storm important Stronghold.
Grand Headquarters of the French
Army.-Hill 304, the last remaining
important stronghold of the Germans
fronting Verdun, fell into French
hands. The French infantry, who had
almost encircled the hill in previous
attacks, charged the German positions
in brilliant dash and carried them by
storm, capturing the remainder of the
Germans entrenched there.
Not content with this splendid
achievement, the French advanced a
further 1000 yards and made posses
sion Of the hill doubly secure. Hill
304, together with LeMort Homme,
commands all the ravines and ap-
proaches as far as Douamont. The
loss of these positions deprives the
Germans of all observatories from
which they could watch the French
Middletown transcript., 1917-09-01
AMERICAN AIRMEN BUSY.
Sergeant Lowell Wins Thrilling Battle
With German Filler.

On the French Front.-Sergeant
Walter Lowell, of the Lafayette Flying
Squadron, forced a German aviator to
land after a thrilling air fight. The
sky has been clear all week, permitting
extensive aerial operations, and the
American aviators have been engaged
in some important fighting operations.
Middletown transcript., 1917-09-01
KILLED BY CRASH IN AIR.
French Aviation Instructor Hit BY
Pupils Machine

Paris.-While Major Joaquin, head
of an aviation school, was giving a les
son in an airplane 1000 feet in the
air pupils machine collided with his.
The major was struck on the head and
killed instantly. The pupil was un-
hurt.
Middletown transcript., 1917-09-01
Her DUTY.

"Emma's hair used to be brown and
now it is golden. Why did she
changer"
"You see, her mother wanted her to
he blond, SO Emma felt she mus,
obey mothers dyeing request"
Middletown transcript., 1917-09-01
GERARD UNDER GUARD
Former Ambassador To Berlin Gets
Threatening Letters.

Chicago.-Two detectives are guard
ing James w. Gerard, former ambas.
sador to Berlin. He has received
many anonymous letters showing deem
feeling held against him by persons
whose sympathies are with Germany
Middletown transcript., 1917-09-01
WILSON WON'T SPEAK ON PEACE

Talk OF Visit To Congress Is SqueIch-
ed At White House.
Washington.-Talk in Congress that
President Wilson might possibly ad-
dress the national body on the subject
of peace when he makes reply TO Pope
Benedict's proposal was effectuallv
silenced when the White House let it
be known in emphatic terms that the
President has no such intention.
Middletown transcript., 1917-09-01
NEGRO TROOPS IN RIOT

oath Infantry Mutiny and Kill Twelve
White Men.
Houston, TeXas.-Twelve white men
civilians, police officers and national
guardsmen, were killed and more than
score of persons, men, women and
children, were wounded in an outbreak
here of negro soldiers of the Twenty
fourth United States Infantry, sta
toned here to act as guards during
the construction of the camp where
the Illinois troops will train. It is not
known how many negroes are dead.
Middletown transcript., 1917-09-01
ESCAPED GERMAN CAUGHT.
Fugitive From War Prison Made
Captive BY Farmer.

Chattanooga, Tenn.-Arnold Henkel
q German army officer, who sawed his
way out OF prison at Fort Oglethorpe,
Ca, Thursday night, was captured by
farmer near there Friday. Henkel ap-
preached the farmers home and asked
for something to eat. He was rec
ognized, and when he resisted arrest
he was shot, receiving a flesh wound.
Middletown transcript., 1917-09-01
May Amend Regulations.

IniQuities of an unavoidable nature
will be shown in the statistical report.
There probably will be some amended
regulations based On actual experience
with the first increment, and some
amendments in the law may be
thought desirable by Congress.
1t is possible that some provision
will be made whereby all the sons of
one family will not be taken A new
definition of the status of married men
may be one of the things acted upon
President Wilson's recent letter to
Senator Weeks is taken by many to
indicate a feeling that more liberal
policy may be found desirable. At
present, under regulations, condition
of actual dependency must be estab-
lished to obtain exemption. The con-
dition of marriage in itself is not con-
sidered.
Another matter to be worked out is
the status of aliens.
Still another is the status of men
who have passed beyond draft age
since being drafted and that Of those
who have become of draft age in the
meantime
Middletown transcript., 1917-09-01
SENDING MAIL TO SOLDIERS.
How Letters For the Boys In the Ma
tional Army Camps Should
Be Addressed.

Washington, Aug. 23.-Before long
several thousand young men will be
in the various cantonment camps of
the National army, and their relatives
and other friends will wish to write
to them. In order to expedite the de-
livery of their mail and give the boys
the best service possible, the postoffice
officials instruct their correspondents,
if they know in advance the company
and regiment to which the soldier is
assigned, to address mail according to
this sample:
PRIVATE JOHN JONES,
A Company, First Infantry,
Camp Dodge, Iowa.
If the company and regiment are not
known, the mail should be addressed
thus:
PRIVATE JOHN JONES,
of Minnesota,
Camp Dodge, Iowa.
When all troops are organized the
mail for each man will be distributed
direct to his company and regiment.
Until then it will be delivered through
his state section.
Middletown transcript., 1917-09-01
Restraints Railroads.

The Presidents order forbids rail-
road-owned mines from selling to
other mines and prohibits dealers from
selling coal produced by railroad-own-
ed mines on basis of prices fixed for
other mines.
The bituminous jobbers' prices be-
comes effective Immediately, as did
bituminous mine prices.
The coal administration will be or
ganized as soon as DR.. Garfield has
completed his work of recommending
to the food administration a govern
ment price for the 1917 wheat crop.
DR.. Garfield's price-ixing committee.
will be ready to announce a price
within a few days.
Middletown transcript., 1917-09-01
PRESIDENT SETS
PRICE ON HARD COAL
Federal Government Cuts Into
Profits of Jobbers.
ALSO NAMES ADMINISTRATOR
Next Step Will Be Regulations For
Distribution and To Fix Anthra-
cite and Bituminous Re-
tail Prices.

Washington. Government control Of
the coal industry was made almost
complete, when President Wilson
named DR.. H. A. Garfield, president of
Williams College, fuel administrator,
fixed anthracite prices for producers
and jobbers and set limit on profits
to be made by bituminous wholesalers.
The next and final step will be to
make regulations for coal distribution
and to fix anthracite and bituminous
retail prices. This will be done when
distribution program IS perfected
and when the Federal Trade Commits
sion has completed a plan under which
retail profits may be fixed.
The anthracite prices fixed effective
September l are virtually the same as
those now charged at the mines under
a voluntary arrangement made by the
producers with the Trade Commission
The prices that may be charged by
jobbers, however will reduce present
costs sharply. Bituminous jobbers'
profits, too, will be cut by the new
price scale set for wholesale trans
actions.
The Scale.
The anthracite scale for railroad
owned mines, which include practical
ly all the big producers, follow:
White Ash-Broken, $455; egg,
$4.45; stove, $40; chestnut, $3.50:
pea, "a. Red Ash-Broken, $475;
egg, s4.65; stove, $3.50; chestnut,
s490; pea, $40. Lykens Valley
Broken, IS; egg, s4.9O; stoves, $3.50;
chestnut, $3.50; pea, $4.35.
Other producers may charge an ad-
vance of rs cents ton of 2,24O pounds
over the figures set for the railroad
owned mines. Those who incur the
expense of rescreening it at Atlantic
or Lake ports may add an additional
five cents ton.
Anthracite jobbers delivering coal |
at Buffalo and points east of that city
will be allowed a maximum profit of
20 cents ton of 2,240 pounds, and |
those delivering it west of Buffalo may |
charge an excess of 80 cents. The |
combined gross profits of any number I
of jobbers handling a shipment must
not exceed the limit of profit set for
single jobber, except that a screening
charge of five cents may be made on
water shipments at Atlantic or Lake
ports
Bituminous profits for jobbers are
fixed at Is cents ton of 1000 pounds
and the same restrictions that govern
dealings by a number of anthracite
jobbers apply to bituminous trans
actions.
Restraints Railroads.
Middletown transcript., 1917-09-01
Next Call In Spring.

The first increment will fill all the
training areas-16 National Guard
camps and Is National Army canton
ments-to capacity, and there will be
a surplus of men beside those assigned
to the regular army. The regulars are
now $4,000 above full authorized war
strength by voluntary enlistment and
the National Guard is in a similar
situation.
Training facilities already are taxed
to make ready for the front men now
available and it is regarded as very
unlikely that organization of an addi-
tional 100000 men of the National
Army can be begun until the early
spring of 1918. Neither quarters nor
personnel to train the force will be
available before that time