davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-01-14

the shipping away from Birmingham of all raw material produced here to the end that it might be made up elsewhere and from thence shipped to consumers
 You might grant this and yet inquire what possible connection it would have with the price of Birmingham made steel billets to Birmingham consumers Possi- ply with no other light on the subject It would have no connection. It is however, a matter of common knowledge that the great financiers of the country in a way control the railroads as well as the Steel corporation and that a policy so vital to. the railroads might be carried out by the Steel corporation in aid of the rail- roads.
 It has been suggested that those domi- nant in the Steel corporation are largely Pittsburg men, and that sentiment might have played some part. I do not pre- tend to know. In fact I do not pre- tend to know what the real cause iss All I do pretend to is information that these stumbling blocks are here i'll the way of Birmngham's progress; that they are artificial and that in some way they both can be overcome. I believe when they are overcome all the arteries of manufacture and commerce in this dis trict, naturally blessed beyond others will throb with the red blood of achieve ment and that this community will grow as never before, but that until they are overcome, while our producers of raw material may expand to limited extent there can be no growth commensurate with the possibilities inherent in our nat ural blessings. Opponents of this idea may suggest that the railroads foster cast iron pipe manufacture. They do, but the answer to this is that the manu- factured pipe is so heavy and so little changed from the raw material that it is impossible for the railroads to force it's manufacture at points other than where pig iron is produced
 There are, of course, many other things to which body of men, actuated pure ly for the good of a community as d whole, might proftably give attention, but they all are overshadowed, in my opinion, by those mentioned. Respect fully, G. R. HARSH.
 Birmingham, January 13 1917.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-01-14
ANOTHER SHOWING
 OF OIL IS FOUND

DrilIers at tho Cordova we'll about ss5 feet down, have found another showing of oil.
 The latest showing does not compare with the first oil sands struck and the drillers. under the direction of Mort Me Cain, have sent the bore deeper into the earth.
 At Flat Creek, the chutn drill has been going along at steady clip, but there have been no developments.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-01-14
Franklin Theatre

is going to send young lady from Ems ley, Pratt City or Wylam to the South eastern Land Show, and pay all ex penses; there she will enter the grand contest to ascertain what young wom- an in the Southeast makes the most artistic and beautiful appearance on a motion picture screen. Our contest begins Monday. Jan. 18th, and closes at midnight. Saturday, Jan. 27th. The winner will be required to be ready to leave for Atlanta on the morn ing of February 9th. Enter your name, ask your friends to work for you.
 A vote given with each 5 or Decent ticket purchased from Jan. 18th to Jan. 27th.
 Franklin Theatre
 D. S. McEachern, Mgr
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-01-14

From the above it is shown that from the year 1913 to 1917 the average annual increase in the number of teachers has been 10S; the average increase for the four years enrolment has been 4O00, and the average increase in school funds has been Slg386. 66; this year. 1917, $12,000 less than the year before. To supply the num- Der of teachers each year to take care of the increased attendance, while the increase in school funds was not ade- quate to take care of the increased at tendance, it has been necessary to shorten the school term in 1914 and 1915 one-half month, or reduce it from eight months to seven and one-half months, the follow ing year one week, and the present year cannot aakIaaft s.as-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-01-14
QUEEN AND CRESCENT MAY
 BE MERGED WITH SOUTHERN
Reduce Overhead Expenses Incident Maintaining Separate Organizations All Controlled by Same Interests Systems
 May Be United-Baker to Head Western Division

The Queen and Crescent route is doomed to pass out of existence. To reduce the overhead expense, occa- stoned by maintaining two offices for a system that is controlled by one group of financial interests. 1t is re- ported reliably that the Southern rail- way will absorb the Queen and Cres- cent route. which extends from Cin- cinnati to Meridian. and operate if under the name of the Southern rail- way.
 While the information cannot be confirmed by the high officials of the Southern railway here, it is said to be the straightest tip current in rail- road circles. The change in operation will go into effect not earlier than February 1.
 The Southern railway is to be di- vided into two divisions, according to the information. All of the Sout6efn railway system east of Atlanta is to be considered the eastern division. Ali of the Southern railway, the Queen and Crescent route and the New Or leans and Northeastern is to be con sidered as the western division. In
New-York tribune., 1917-06-17
TRENCH REPARTEE
AND TRENCH FAVORlTES

The relations between the trenches include
even attempts at an exchange OF repartee'
The wit. as may be supposed. in such circum-
stances is invariably ironic and sarcastic
Nv examples are Irish for the reason that |
have had most to do with Irish soldiers, but
they may be taken as fairly representative
of the taunts and pleasantries which are often
handled across No Mans Land
The Germans, holding part of their line In
Belgium. got to know that the British trenches
opposite them were being held by an irish
battalion. Hello. Irish" they cried. "How
is King Carson getting on, and have you got
Home Rule yet"
The company sergeant major, big Upper
ary man. was selected TO make the proper
reply. and in order that it might be fully
effective he sent it through a megaphone
which the colonel was accustomed TO use In
addressing the battalion on parade. Hello
Gerrvs," he called out. "G'm thinking 1t isn't
information We want but dvarshion; but It's
Information I'll be after giving ye, all the
same Later on we'll be sending ye some fun
thatll make We laugh at the other side OF yer
mouths The last we heard of Carson he
was proddng the government like the very
devil TO put venom into their blows at ye,
end more power to his elbow while he's at
that work. say we. AS for Home Rule, we
mean to have it, and we'll get it, please God,
New-York tribune., 1917-06-17
A British Opinion of
The American Regulars

:heir business in the best of all schools-the
school on the spot. 1t is excellent news
that the United States government will prob
ably send a regiment of marines with the
division of regulars. Ten thousand engineers
are also being recruited TO serve in France.
Add these to the division of regulars and
marines, and the numbers of the expedi-
tionary force will amount TO nearly $4,000
men.
The prospect Of this force arriving within
q short time after the declaration of war is a
magnificent demonstration of American ear
ne.tness The Germans l:ttle knew the kind
Of people they were taking on when they
weighed them in the balance against the des-
perate hope Of U-boat victory.
The appointment of General Pershing to
command the American expeditionary force
here as in America. He is an experienced
and trusted soldier . fine product
of one of the most professional armies in
the world.
This description of the American regular
army may surprise some of our readers, who
perhaps think that as the Americans have
never taken military affairs very seriously
their regular army can hardly be compared
favorably with the armies of more military
nations But the American regular army is
indeed a remarkable body. Although it has
seen little service on a grand scale, it has
been in another sense on continual active
service.
One might compare its activities with those
Of our navy. II has performed the Office of
policing the United States against Indian
narauders and lawless communities. II goes
about its work quietly and competently.
II has never been the darling of fashion.
Soldier pets in the luxurious life of the
great cities have been chosen from among
crack regiments of the militia. The regu-
lars are too busy and too often away at
their remote posts TO force themselves on
public attention. The present writer had the
privilege Of accompanying a regular regi-
ment Of American infantry in the war Of
1898, and he has never forgotten the i'm
preston those cool and skiful officers and
men made upon him.
The officers were highly intelligent. and
their hardness and resourcefulness-the re-
suits Of their Indian experiences made a
delightful combination with their exceptional
mental equipment. In journey by train
through almost the entire length Of the
New-York tribune., 1917-06-17

United States the men were allowed freely
10 roam about the railway stations when the
train stopped, as it frequently did, yet there
vas not single case of drunkenness, though
the regiment had just said goodby to its
friends and was under the excitement OF
:he approaching campaign. The train passed
through "dry" states and "wet" states, but
the wet states were just as dry as the dry, so
far as that regiment was concerned. The
present writer remarked on the exemplary
behavior of the men under so little con-
trol-to him an astonishing phenomenon
and one of the officers said to him: "Our
srmy is only about $4,000 strong, but you
must remember that it is chosen from the
best The men are decently paid and well
treated, and they are expected to produce
.eferences when they offer themselves TO
show that they are worthy Of being IN the
army. Why, | expect you would fnd that
YOU could take any man out of this regiment
and safely make him a cashier in bank"
OF course, in the Cuban campaign there
,,as great deal of mudde; the commits
sariat services broke down; the army was
i'll equipped; the medical service was made
auate; the artillery was armed with poor
guns and old-fashioned black powder. which
at once obscured the vision and revealed the
position of the batteries with clouds Of
smoke. But the greater part of the failure
was due to intrusting the improvisation Of
machinery to men with political pull
The American regulars were in themselves
splendid types of professional soldiers, keen,
m Oldest and brave.
When they come over any one here or in
France who expects to see kind of Wild
West circus will receive the surprise of his
life And surprise will change to gratitude
snd admiration when the Allies have expert
enced the genius of the American regular for
good fellowship and loyalty in the field
America was never before so ardently
appreciated abroad.
New-York tribune., 1917-06-17

that IL was then in the press and would
soon be given to the public.
Naturally we were deeply interested; above
all. | desired to see the board operate, espc-
cially as it was the first time | had been given
the opportunity of investigating it.
Mrs Hutchings and Mrs. Hays placed them
selves opposite each other at the sides Of the
board; Mr. Hutchings took notes of each
letter as il was indicated while Mr.. Hotchner
and | sat at the ends Of the board, a little
distance from IT. "a Kabalst might fnd
some unusual significance in numbers, the
names of all present beginning with H.
After few moments the indicator moved
on the board and some general remarks were
made hImorously about being on his good
behavior in the presence of company. NJ
question was asked. and he continued q
quote from Mr.. Hutchings's record:
Board-Old Mark was studying isms fol
years. The problem Of the hereafter was as
much 10 him TO any one. First appealed
the old doctrine-when you sleep long
enough, st. Peter blows a horn and you ge'
up. But that seemed long shot, so / stud
led the -and-wings idca but | coulc
never play anything harmonious, and when
drew a picture Of Mark Twain with two sill
yer wings and harp, Livy (hs wife
laughed Your face doesn't look right" she
said
New-York tribune., 1917-06-17

feated combatant was expected to expose his
throat to the sword of the victor, and anV
shrinking on his part caused the arena to
ring with the angry shouts OF the tnousanoS
of spectators Receive the steel! BY all
accounts. the Germans have dislike OF the
bayonet They might well be paralyzed' IN
deed, at the affrighting spectacle OF that tnin
line OF cold steel welded by furious IRISH
man: but if the bayonet were in the hands
Of soldier of any Of the other British ma
tionalities his cry TO the German that recolled
from its thrust would probably be Receive
the STEEL" expressed in the rudest ana
toughest native idiom.
The way of the Irish at Ginchy was diner
ent: and perhaps the remuneration of their
revenpe was not the least magnificent act Of
glorious day.
''If we Drained them on the spot who could
blame us? Tis ourselves that would think II
no sin if it was done by any one else,' SAID
a private of the Dublin Fusiliers. Let me
tell YOU" he went on, what happened to
myself. As | raced across the open with
my comrades, jumping in and out of she'll
holes. and the bullets flying thick around US,
LAYING many fine boy low, said to myself:
This is going TO be fight to the last gasp
for those of us that get to the Germans
"As came near to the trenches ! picked
man out for myself. Straight in front OF
me he was, leaning out Of the trench, and
he with rife firing away at us as If we were
rabbits.
81 made for him with my bayonet ready, de-
termined to give him what he deserved, when
what do you think didn't he notice me
and what was up to! Dropping his rife
he raised himself up in the trench and
stretched out his hands toward me- What
could you do in that case but what ! did
Sure. YOU wouldn't have the heart TO strike
him down, even if he were to kill you.
81 caught sight of his eyes, and there was
such a frightened and pleading look IN them
that at once lowered my rife and took him
by the hand, saying, You're my prisoner
New-York tribune., 1917-06-17

when yere licked Put that in yer pipes
and smoke it.'
The two names for the Germans in use
among the Irish troops are "Gerrys' and "a
corruption of the French "Allemand' for
German "Alleymans."
Once when the Irish Guards were in the
firing line they could see, by means of a
mirror stuck up on the parados Cthe earth
elevation rearward of the trench big, fat,
elderly German soldier, with a thick gray
mustache, frequently pottering about the
German trenches He took the fancy of the
Irish. for the reason that he appeared TO
them to be typicaly German. They could
have shot him had they chosen; but they
preferred to make pet of him. and every
time he appeared they shouted together,
Good man, Alleyman'; so that he soon came
to know the greeting and would bow his head
with a smile toward the British lines.
A day came when there was no ALLEY
man." and the Irish Guards began to fear
that some harm had befallen him. Maybe
some bla guard of a sniper in another part
of the lines has shot the dacent man. they
said
Then it struck them 10 try whether loud
call for their favorite would bring him again
into view They raised shout in unison Of
1--WE -want-Alleyman," and in about five
minutes the rotund figure of the German ap-
peared on the top of the parapet, smilingly
bowing his acknowledgment of the great
honor done him by his friends, the enemy.
Great was the relief of the Irish Guards, and
they raised joyful cry of Good man, Alley
man"
Brief informal truces are not infrequently
come to between the opposing forces at par
ticular sections of the lines, so that one or
other, or both, may bring in, after raid,
their wounded and their slain. One Of the
most uplifting stories have heard was told
me by captain of the Royal Irish Fusiliers.
Out there in front of the trench held by
his company lay figure in khaki writhing In
pain and waling for help. "Will no one
come to me ?" he cried, in voice broken with
New-York tribune., 1917-06-17
He Might
Return
A Donkey!

But I studied the cults of all lands, and
transmigration Of souls appealed TO me most.
| said would like TO come back TO earth as
good little donkey so might Craze hap
PLY on some sunny slope, Italy preferred
and little children would love and pet mo,
and the old glance tolerantly. Now and then
! would raise my voice and laugh But. alas.
when ! found that was apt to return as a
laughing jackass or hyena, or mayhap q
tree toad or locust, turned my faith from
transmigraton.
I want to finish that which God gave me
to do. For long years | worked for neces-
sitys sake; then, with prosperity, ] loafed.
Age came, my muscles tired. my legs bent
under mo, and began to forget Then
knew that | would soon follow others who
New-York tribune., 1917-06-17
Often an
| Alien Soul
Slips In

Does j. (reincarnation) not prove "'."
Look into any generation Of a family, W
doe. not produce like. but the soui "'s
family feeling and longs to reproduce any, ~
its own. So the grandson may reprodue'
sreat-grandfather. often an alien soul '"r.
into a family, bringing honor or d's"V".'
Thus, great men come from humble NUM-.
and environment matters not 80 does
rake defilc that family whose every '"
roul was great The ancients knew ]"
we arc but babes beside their knowldSe n
may be ques,ioned; but when all the '''.
Of Egypt is read, we shall stand ssn'"..
Inside the wrsppings OF mu""'
sleep the memories of our forebesrs
regret that great deal OF what was
is Of such a personal nature that I" e.." s.,
be made public. but | should'like TO ACC w.
Mr.. Hotchner and | are convinced that -
Twain is truly endesvorinS to write ~ .,,
in the manner described. The ins'ru"s
he has chosen for its medium are '' N
quality, devoted and sincere; so0''
strictly conscientious.
New-York tribune., 1917-06-17
By Aid of
Extended
Vision

Note By Mrs. Hutchings-We stopped
long enough to tell Mr. and Mrs. Hotchner
of the beginning and development of our
work, and to discuss the mystery of the
transmission Mrs. Hotchner had known
Mark Twain personally, so she easily rec
ognized him by aid of the extended vision.
Mrs. Hotchner-I see Mark Twain now
He leans against Mrs Hays's left shoulder
Board-I like the cyesight that sees life in
Old Mark, even when his soul is naked and
bit shocking to doubters.
Mrs. Hotchner-Your soul can be seen
naked by anybody and need not be ashamed
Board-I heard you talk last night Ia pub
lie lecture given by Mrs. Hotchner). | went
with my "office force because thought it
was good for them to be there" as the old
Nethodists used to say. And although Mark
Twain was not a prophet on earth. and has
no reputation as a prophet in heaven, he
knows that the friendship Of this afternoon
IS only 4 primer to the education of years
that will follow.
Note by Mrs. Hutchings-Mrs. Hotch-
ner then told of her first meeting with Mr.
Clemens, on the day of her graduation, when
he presented the diplomas and expressed a
desire TO the principal TO be permitted IL
Kiss each graduate.
Bodrd-Say, | remember that didn't want
to kiss the principal. She couldn't help her
FACET was built on her, and she could no.
remove it; but, as kindhearted people say,
- hod haa Uhat uoulfifude of
SINS OF beauty is hidden by that remark! But
how you girls blossomed forth from that
sombre background. Long since she plays
her part again. either on fields Of glory or
reincarnatcd again. hope that she chose .
New-York tribune., 1917-06-17
a y INTERCHANGE OF
n CHRISTMAS PRESENTS

Amenities between combatants are very
ancient: the Greeks and TroJans used to ex'
change presents and courtesies in the inter
walls of fighting, and the early stages OF this
war seemed to afford promise that they
would be revived. The fraternizing Of tn
British and Germans at their first Christmas
under arms, in 1914, will, perhaps, always be
accounted as the most curious episode of the
war.
The influence of the great Christian festi,
al led 70 a suspension of hostilties along
he lines. and the men each side seized
he opportunity to satisfy their natural
.uliosity TO see something more of each other
han through the smoke of battle with deadly
Weapons in their hands and hatred in their
YES Each side had taken prisoners; but
risoners are "out of it," and therefore re-
duced to the level Of non-combatants. The
foeman in being appears in a very diferen,
light. He has the power to strike. foI
NAV have to kill him. or you may be killed
bv him SO the British and the Germans, i'm
PEELED in the main by common feeling of
inouisitiveness. met together between the
lines in No Mans Land. There was some
amicable conversation where they could make
themselves understood to each other which
happened when German was found who
could speak a little English Cigarettes and
tunic buttons were freely exchanged. But
for the most part, British and Germans
stood with arms folded across their breasts
and stared at each other with kind of dread
fascination.
1t never happened again. How could It
possibly be repeated?
The introduction into the conflict by the
Germans in high command of the barbaric
elements of "frghtfulness,' hitherto con-
fined to savage tribes at war; their use OF
such devilish inventions as poison gas and
LIQUID fire. their belief only in brute
strength and, as regards the common German
soldiers, the native lowness Of morality
shown by so many of them their apparent
insensitiveness to ordinary humane instincts,
inevitably tended to harden and embitter
their adversaries against them. Even so,
British feeling is extraordinarily devoid OF
vindictiveness.
The Germans in the mass, are regarded as
having been dehumanized and transformed
into a process of ruthless destruction. In any
case, they are the enemy. As such, there is
satisfaction-nay, a positive delight-in
sweeping them out of existence. That is
war But against the German soldier indi-
vidually it may be said that, on the whole.
there is no rancor.
In fact, British soldiers have a curiousy de-
tached and generous way of regarding their
country's enemies When the German soldier
is taken prisoner or picked up wounded the
British soldier is disposed, as a hundred
thousand instances show, to treat him as a
pal" to divide his food and share his cigar
cites with him as he passes to the base.
In the gladiatorial fights for the entertain
ment Of the people in ancient Rome the de-