davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1917-12-31
BUREAU HANDLING
AGRICULTURAL IN
CREDTTARLE WORK

The agricultural bureau of the
Chamber Of Commerce was organized
during the latter part Of July and
owing to the lateness with which it
took up its work it did not get ae-
lively into agricultural development
work this season.
Most of its time has been spent in
laying q foundation on which to begin
its work in the early spring. How
ever some things were actually ac-
h omplished, among them being the
carrying of delegations TO the JOslin
and Aledo fairs. At each fair the
committee directed the giving out Of
advertising souvenirs consisted OF a
steel pairing knife bearing on the han
die the inscription Come to Rock Is
land. We viii use you right" Two
/ thousand of these souvenirs were CIV
en- out at these fairs.
This department took up the ques-
| ton Of oiling the Knoxville road at d
| time when it was about to fall through
and through its initiative, the money
, was raised and the Knoxville road
was oiled through to Swedona There
was expended $1,000 on this project.
The department has spent consid-
cradle time In working up q road
sign which the committee contem-
plates having placed on all roads lead
| ing into and cut of Rock Island with
| in a zone of 50 miles The sign Sc
| Iected by the committee will be OF
( porcelain. CARRYING a flaming red ar
row marking the number of miles and
pointing the direction. 1t will be set
on a steel standard anchored in con-
crete. The sign provides for d small
advertising display and it is expected
that part of the financial burden
! involved in the purchase and placing
Of these signs viii be cared for
through the advertising which these
signs will bear. The committee con-
templates laying the matter before
the merchants early in January,
! The committee has been searching
for practical method for raising
funds in behalf of oiled roads and con
/ templates the organization OF an auto
mobile club with membership fec
of such proportions as will care fol-
the expenditure involved in road i'm
proyement Of this character.
The attention of this committee has
been called 10 the fact that Rock Is
land county as whole has been vera
lax in making progress in the pro
duction Of pure bred stock and ths
committee plans this next year Il
make an active and effective drive il
this direction. AS pointed out by this
| chairman, J. L. Vernon, the farmers
of Rock island county are among tht
best in the world and tagging interes
in pure bred stock is entirely due tt
not having a proper understanding o
the profits and desirability Of produc
ing pure breds
:. Those serving on the agricultural
committee are j L. Vernon. chairman
Il c. J. Searle. j F. Mcnamara, j. F
Witter and NJ. @. Griswold
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1917-12-31
HOLDS OFF WORK
|. FOR CONVENTIONS

The Chamber Of Commerce has not
made an extensive drive for conven-
tions.
1t is believed that the first step in
this direction would be the raising Of
a convention fund whereby guests may
be properly entertained In all prob
ability the committee will not attempt
to raise such a fund until after the
close of the war. this because it feels
that the business and professional
men are already contributing all that
they should contribute.
In September, G. r. Stephenson,
armed with an invitation from the
Chamber OF Commerce, attended the
International Stewards convention at
Pittsburgh and due to his splendid
initiative. the 1918 meeting Of the
stewards convention was landed for
Rock Island 1t is expected that
about two hundred delegates will be
I i'll attendance at the 1913 assembly.
| In October, F. W. Young, state high
way commissioner, and member Of the
agricultural bureau represented the
/ Chamber OF Commerce at the Spring
4 field meeting OF the Burlington Way
Good Roads association and succeed
/ ed in getting the Chambers invitation
accepted for its next assembly in Rock
! Island. The Burlington Way is 9
marked highway running from st
Paul To Cairo and from Chicago to St
Louis. These meetings are attended by
delegates from all of the cities, vii
Iag.ac o,,a cot1ufies tbrough uyhirh the
highway passes and viii in all proba-
bility bring about three hundred dele
gates TO the city.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1917-12-31
COMMERCIAL ORGANIZATION SECRETARY
HAS DEMONSTRATED ABILITY IN OFFICE

F. w Bender, secretary of the
Chamber Of Commerce, has demon
strated his worth
Coming here at time when the
interests Of the community were but
in the embryo stages of merging for
one OF the biggest community enter
prises the city has undertaken, he
stepped in with the words let the
past bury its dead" and began the
work Of cementing all factions into
one solid body, pulling together for
the welfare Of the city.
1t seems as if the Chamber of Com
merce came at the most opportune
time, Tor hardly had it been launched
in its meager temporary organi-
cation than it was Immediately
called upon to demonstrate its effec-
tiyeness as a commercial and indus
trial body In the demands made
upon it, Mr. Bender as its executive
secretary. showed the strengthen its
construction under the system in
which it was organized. Numerous
campaigns and industrial enterprises
were handled by the Chamber of Com
raerce almost from the first day that
the preliminary organization was
/ launched and throughout the entire
workings OF the association, the secre-
tary has been at the pilot wheel. Civ
ing the benefit of his experience in
similar organizations elsewhere.
Mr.. Bender is a former newspaper
man and has shown through his
quick, yet deliberate way Of handling
his work, that his arly newspaper
training has come to his help in his
duties here. He has been a resident
of the city for only six months, yet
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1917-12-31
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IS CENTER OF
NUMEROUS CAMPAIGNS CONDUCTED HERE

enfield and group Of committee
workers were campaigning among the
business aud professional men in be
half OF placing $1.000.009 in Liberty
bonds The first Liberty loan cam
paign went over, crossing the top at
the maximum.
At this time a committee appointed
by the Rock Island club prior to the
organization OF the Chamber OF Com
merce was out attempting 10 raise
So, zoe for oiling the Knoxville road.
The project was tagging and was TAX
en- over by the Chamber of Commerce
and put through in five days.
The next money raising step was
that Of S700, whrich was collected to
entertain selectiye soldiers and send
box to Company A.
The library board then announced
that the national organization was
asking the local board to raise a sum
! OF 81 500 which was TO be applied for
war purposes. The library board
! called in a few business men aud a
fund OF $500 was underwritten in d
single evening,
In October the Chamber Of Com
merce with NJ. S. Heagy as chairman
put over the second Liberty loan, sell
ing 81 ,642, 600 in Liberty bonds, again
/ crossing the top for Rock Island by
a safe margin
/ The Liberty loan campaign was fol
lowed by d campaign for the Young
Mems Christian association war fund
! which was handled by the Chamber
of Commerce and was represented BY
about twenty committees, working
two and one-half hours a day for foug
DAYS. S1S,500 was raised.
The Young Mems Christian asso
citation war fund was followed by z
Knights of Columbus war fund
amounting to $500.
] During the year subscriptions t(
Jewish war funds have been taker
amounting to $1,000.
This makes q total Of $296 .90(
raised for charitable and semi-char
liable PURPOSES directly affecting thu
community This does not include
contributions that have been made f
Bethany hame. the Visiting Nurses
association and the Playground asso
citation. The war charity given b,
Rock Island reaches stupendous pro
, portions as expressed in figures am
reaches a total of $4,000 In add
ton 10 this the public has purchased
/ and contracted TO purchase $2,642,
! 600 in Liberty bonds, making a grant
total of S2.G33, 700
i In the raising of this huge sum o
/ money no particular class, the rich
: the well to do, the small business
: class or the poor can take unto them
. selves any credit that is not sharet
: by all. Contributions have come iron
: the high and the low, the obscure ant
the very DOOR All have generousl,
: given to the best OF their fnancia
: ability, and the year of 1917 shouli
pass out as one to be long remem
: hered because Of the philanthropy an,
: the wholehearted rharitableness of tn
: lpeople-
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1917-12-31

Great has been the spirit of giving
among the citizens of Rock Island.
It would not be making broad
statement to say that the giving spirit
Of the people of Rock Island has not
been equaled in any other city of It's
size in the United States. The public
has subscribed most literally and re-
sponded most generously to every fl
nancial call that has been made dur
ing the year. and the history Of the
city does not present a year in which
the calls have been made so frequent
ly or in such large amounts as they
have during the year Of 1917.
The amount Of money raised in
Rock Island is surely a splendid trib-
ute to the charitableness Of its people
and is convincing proof that the CITY
in the main is filled with splendid
men and women who recognize and
( take to heart the law Of thy broth
/ er's keeper
/ In April Of this year a non-parti-
san and non-sectarian group of bust
ness and professional men joined
forces and in a single weeks cam
/ paignsecured 5000. 900 for St Anthony's
/ hospital. which has long been rendering
splendid but inadequate service to the
/ city. II was on their record OF eff
4 fectiyeness and efficiency that the
/ campaign was made and succeeded.
/ The next step was that of the Ro-
/ tary club. which campaigned in be-
half Of the establishment OF q Boy
Scout organization, headed by a
scoutmaster and established on per-
manent paid basis The Rotary club
mt through the undertaking in rapid
fire order and inside Of three weeks
from the close Of the campaign had
a paid scoutmaster in charge, whc
headed the Boy Scout organization
This Bow Scout campaign resulted IN
raising $4,000, covering three-yeaT
period
The next community movement was
that of raising a $4,000 war fund fol
the Red Cross. r. A. Murphy, chair
man of the Red Cross finance com
mittee. promoted the campaign ano
to him belongs much credit for haV'
ing made it a success. This cam
oaign followed closely upon the heel.
on that OF the Boy Scouts and th'
fact that this amount of money wa:
raised was a great surprise to all.
The Red Cross 100000 campaign
was followed the next week by
campaign instituted by the Rock Is
LAND club and the Business Mems as
. ISOLATION working under the caption
of a citizens committee. for the es
Establishment of Chamber Of Com
merce. The Chamber Of Commerc'
campaign was put through ACCORDING
. TO schedule, raising iu~exeess of $50.
900 900 a year for three-year period
not including an income OF about u,
500. which 1t secured from non-resi
: dent members.
While the Red Cross and Chambe
! of Commerce campaigns were IN pro
cess. j. L. Vernon and Walter A. Ros
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1917-12-31

Continued on Page Five.)
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1917-12-31

liked
said
man
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1917-12-31

direction it viii do so with effective
promptness.
Housing.
Tat question Of housing came be-
fore the attention Of the board OF d.
reetors OF the Chamber of Commerce
and resulted in the appointment of
special housing committee, consisting
of H. H. Cieaveland, H. s. Cable. ]. L.
Vernon and Charles Esplin. The com
mittea proceeded to make careful in
vestigation Of the housing situation
and obtained from survey that there
was crying need for houses, estimat-
ing that the needs of the community.
Continued on Page Fiyel
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1917-12-31

he has become not only prominent
through the position he holds but
popular with the large number OF
people who have come TO know him
The Washington herald., 1917-12-18

The maxim Environment Is Every.
thing" holds true at this season moi .
than at any other time of the year.
For nothing SO thrills one to the real
feeling of Christmastine as the hang
ing of greens and bells, stringing of
popcorn and cranberries. and the
making Of many vari-colored bags or
tarletan to put the goodies in. And
the tinsel rope of tinfoil, Is there a
soul, from to 90, whom they do not
fascinate? We're all alike, all Chi.
dren. and it Is very. good that we can
return. once in q hurried year. 10
these simple pleasures which soothe
and cheer, and give US cause to re-
member many happy celebrations.
Very effective decorations may be
attained by the use of cedar or pine
branches, which can be cut from the
lower part of the trees without dam
age to its life or to its graceful shape.
These branches fastened to the plate
rail, the stair banisters, and the tops
OF windows, with an occasioned bow
or red ribbon or red paper, create a
delightful effect. In the South, mis-
tletoe Is used almost exclusively,
large. graceful branches being hung
over the front entrance, in the dining
room and ofttimes in the windows,
in place of holly wreaths.
Bells and ropes of colored paper
are used also. but somehow nothing
Is quite SO pretty as green things. nor
so natural and refreshing. The din
ing table centralizes the decorative
scheme, and it's here the housewife
exercises her nimblest thoughts, both
in decoration and menu.
One very pretty conception IL to
have an oblong block of ice in a pan
Of white sand Ito absorb the melting
The Washington herald., 1917-12-18

will send it to you. I composed 1t
in a few minutes. 1 started another,
but did not finish it." One little boy
inclosed a "pome," which was every
thing that a poem should not be:
II am Il years old, live In the
country, and am not fit for hard
work. If you think it is all right 1
will try and be a poet"
James Popcorn Riley
To little Elizabeth Page, who wrote
about beautiful collie pup honored
with the name Of James Whitcomb
Riley Page" the poet replied:
Dear Elizabeth Page: You have sent
me a mighty good letter, and thank
you heartily. 1 receive a great num-
Der of letters mostly written by
'grown-up people, and it Is really sur
prising how uninteresting they can be.
Give me a letter any time from the
Elizabeth Pages Of this world. What
you say in appreciation of your
Daddy" goes spang to the spot. That
is right. bet on your Daddy" above
all other men, however bright they
shine in the spotlight of your guberna-
tOrial halls. And the dog, James
Whitcomb Riley Page at once romps
into my affections. AS you say, you
hope he will be a smart dog and
II he is not you will change his name
to Edgar Allen Poe" I agree with
you, as too dislike Poe so much that
I am glad he is not here to be en-
barrassed thereby.
Thank you very much also for liking
my books, and always have your
'Daddy"-my friend-to interpret them
to you.
By the way. though. you must spell
Allan with an a, as Mr.. Poe was very
touchy on that point.
As ever and always your old friend,
JAMES POPCORN RILEY.
Sometimes Riley combined art and
poetry for the amusement of his
young friends. There has Just come
to light a card, a reproduction of
which appears in the December
Harper's Magazine. on which Riley
drew a picture OF a not very at
tractive young woman. Beside the
picture, in the poets handwriting, is
this verse:
Our teacher. Mis- King.
She's the sweetest thing.
And III tell you the reason why
She dresses in light
Lawn, yellow. and whits,
And looks like . custard pie.
Little "DOry Ann"
This picture and verse were made
for one Of Riley's fayorites. the niece
Of his lifelong friend. Miss Edith
The Washington herald., 1917-12-18

N. Thomas, the poet. Riley con-
tinued to exchange letters with the
little girl for years, calling her "Dory
Ann" after an old-fashioned name
from the memories of his childhood
One of his letters to "Dory Ann
contains a remarkable unpublished
poem by Riley. The letter and poem
follow:
Dear Little Friend-One time an
old middle-aged mana very middle
aged man-who from his childhood
had been playing that he was a poet
got some sure-enough books OF
poetry-pieces printed, at last. and
sprinkled them over his friends like
salt on cantaloupes: and then leaned
back and waited for applause and
laughed to himself so that he would
not miss any voice of praise out of
thesbest chorus Of the world at large.
And-he is listening still-though, like
the bass kings in the O-r-tao-ri-o,
He thinks II not becoming.
To be found in idle funning.
So his laugh is VERGE Low
Al
And yet not quite in vain has he
been listening all these years, for
now and then faint murmurous
accents like yours reach his almost
starving senses; and as he hears
them. the old mans fancies find his
Youth again and all the childish joys
that once were his.-So veritably
young he Is that he goes dancing
back to his old make-believes, and
plays that he's a poet. just as then.
Miss Medairy Dory Ann
Cast her line and caught q man,
But when he looked 50 pleased (alackD
She unlocked and pfunked him back
Il never like to catch what I can."
Said Miss Medairy Dory Ann.
When Dory Ann she gave . tea
She specially invited me.
With other children, two or three,
And asked US all to come quick!
Because" she wrote. dear friends I've got
A turkey for you, steaping hot,
And each Of you-forget it not
Shall have . sayory drumstickP'
But when her four guests came and she
Cut on one turkey leg for me
And one for her-why there were three
More guests might suck their thumbs slick!
A eatin' turkeys haplcsS lot
Is two lone legs, more guests or not,
Two lonesome legs is all he's got,
And nary other drumstickI
Ever yore obedient servant and
well-Wisher ever thine.
yours respectfully write soon
With joy too great for pen to state
The Washington herald., 1917-12-18

ice). Surround the base with irregu-
lar fiuffs OF cotton sprinkled with
diamond dust. Place toy Santa with
his sleigh and prancing reindeer atop
the clustering ice. and use glass can
dlesticks with red unshaded tapers.
Small boxes filed with candy may be
used as favors. The completed idea is
charming. =.
Another table, more appropriate
perhaps, for grown-ups, might have
its damask cloth checked of with
strips Of scarlet ribbon two inches In
width. The central motif is a horn
of-plenty resting, at an agreeable
angle, on q mound of snow. Sta
toned at the mouth of the hgut-filiee
cornucopia is Santa Claus. Vari.
coiored puff f-balls' made of fringed
tissue paper are placed carelessly
about on the cover, and the candle
shades are Of the same hues, Of red.
orange. green. lavender and yellow.
The combination is colorful and
unique.
Two very good and carefully COM
pleted Christmas dinners are given
herewith, with recipes for those
dishes which seem to call for elucida-
ton.
CHRISTMAS DINNER NO. 1.
Cream of Asparagus Soup Crackers
Roast Turkey or Duck with
Chestnut Stuffing
Green Peas in Timbales
Potato Balls (parsley)
Candied Sweet Potatoes
Olives Currant Jelly
Waldorf Salad Yuletide Dressing
Ambrosia Fruit Cake
Coffee Salted Nuts
Cheese and Toasted Crackers.
CHRISTMAS DINNER NO. 2.
(For Light Housekeepers)
Oysters on Half Shell
Tomato Soup Bread Sticks
Olives Celery
Roast Duck Cranberries
Mashed Potatoes Asparagus with
Drawn Butter Sauce
The Washington herald., 1917-12-18
Written 9Lejibbly."

In another letter ''Dory Ann" asked
Riley for a poem about her school
Put N. Y. c. ]. in it and that means
New York Collegiate Institute" she
said.
Dear Dory Ann.-When I got your
nice long, really truly letter sprang
right out of the doctors care, ex-
claiming, 20 it's letter from Edithia
Eudory-ory-Ann,-thank you. mann! !
Oh. thank you, Mani" And 1t was so
lejibbly wrote-I mean written, OF
cource-and its words of languidge
was so well-so well chosen, and speld
so correct and jeudishous that
Being . Jimpsy -iumpsy bog.
Jmpsy -Wimpsy jumped for joy.
And. now I've got this poem done,
n. Y. @. I've another one.
The following Christmas, Riley sent
letter in the character of anothe,
boy. Buds cousin from Rensselaer," ,"
which suggests Little Cousin Jasper
Of the rhyme:
Dear Dory Ann.-Bud he's readin'
child stories and p'tendin he's a
child: and ever time he reads this-m.
bout the Tailor and the Mices, he
The Washington herald., 1917-12-18
(AH these poems aud letters of
James WhitcOmb Riley are copy
righted by Harper & Brothers and
must not be reprinted 1Vithom
, lpritfen permission from them.)

IN HARPER'S MAGAZINE. for
December there appear a num-
ber of poems. short and long.
by James Whitcomb Riley. the
irst Of his hitherto unpublished
poems and letters which have only
recently been brought together. These
new poems have all the Riley flavor
and humanness. for most of them
we're written to children. his beloved
little correspondents.
The poems, together with Riley's
letters to children and grown-ups,
have been gathered and arranged for
publication by the poets nephew, Ed,
nund H. EiteI. and they will be given
% the public from month to month
n Harper's Magazine during the
fear.
Riley took lis correspondence with
shildren seriously. Always he saw
Mat no child S letter went neglected,
even though he himself had ordi-
iariIy no more than time to read the
ilessages. Often he replied with lit
le souvenir bookmarks or Christmas
cards which he ingenfOusly devised.
~ booklets of verses in facsimile of
ais handwriting. He always was
thoughtful and considerate of their
feelings. If there were two in the
family two souvenirs exactly alike
must go.
Letters From Blind Children.
THE letters received from delighted
fathers and Mothers" Riley wrote to
an old friend, "and even the pencil
printed ones from the lovely little
-haps themselves, all-all go to make
ne one of the happiest, gratefulest
of men-with never a child of my
OWN, and yet with a world Of them
hank the Father of US all So let
sers came, some in big. wabbly hand
writing. some in faultless vertical,
md once a letter in Braille from a
school for blind children. 1t seemed
the writer's had not the Slightest
loubt that the poet would gladly
near anything and everything that
they were interested in.
Frequently the children told Riley
which poem was loved best" The
7aggedy Nah and The Bear
Story were the favorites. Little
Orphan Annie was a close third.
The boys usually like THE Old
5wimmin' Hole" best, but often men,
toned "Out to Old Aunt Mary's," I"
which perhaps has reached their
hearts through its description of
good things to eat Almost all Of the
verses mentioned by his little corre-
Ipondents are in child dialect.
Children often favored Riley with
their own poetic efforts. On one
birthday they gave him a poetry
shower. and marched past his gate,
en Lockerbie street, with their con-
.ributions. This came from a little
girl in Portland, Greg: when I
vas . years old/I wrote a poem. 1