davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-12-03

There is only one calamity greater
TO the hearts of the little folks than
Christmas without snow. And that Is
any day with snow but without sled
A real tragedy this. and one not lightly
to be forgiven or forgotten. So II the
sled in your house Is rusty or II This is
really tire first year that little person
has been old enough to enjoy a sled, BY
all means add tone to your list of Christ
mas purchases. One shop is showing
graceful 'fliers that steer for the amaz-
ing price of 81.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-12-03

NOR the friend who reads what more
welcome Christmas gift could be
found than n good book? While we gem
orally think of good books as being ex-
pensive, there are times when. II we
look alive, we can pick them up at amaz-
ingly low prices Just now, for instance,
one of the shops is having a sale Of
slightly worn books. and while some of
them are badly Scared many are in
what certainly appears TO be perfc =
condition. Among them are such favor
ties as "Just David" by the author OF
the beloved "Pollyanna"; the famous
John Barleycorn," by Jack London: one
Or two of De Morgan's works, and, oh
a host of really worthwhile tales. The
price is thirty-five cents, or three ma,
be had for ST.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-12-03
Home Hints

soft. clean wool brush is excellent
for taking the film of dust off the walls
Run cranberries through the potato
dieer while warm, then add the sugar.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-12-03
Suggests International Exposition

would also suggest that a movement
be started at once in Philadelphia tc
celebrate the conclusion OF the greatest
war in history by an appropriate inter-
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-12-03
Adventures
With a Purse
FOUND TODAY

I. An assortment OF good books priced
at three for 81; q Christmas sus-
GestIon.
2. Sleds for the youngsters.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-12-03

TOmOrrOw's Complete NoveIette-The
Clock.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-07-14

and his profession as wholly indispensa-
bic to the modern world He declares:
Engineering, in one sense the youngest
and in another the Oldest OF all the learned
professions, has attained its Importance
and high standing mainly during the asst
half century. 1t is universally acknowl-
edged to be the profession of progress;
and all thinking people concede that With
out 1t the advancement of the world wou
come Immediately to standstll, and even
the maintenance of modern civilization
would be impracticable. just imagine what
civilization would be without the steam
engine, railroads. steamboats,, brid-cs the
telegraph, the telephone, water works sew
erage, the typewriter, electrical machinery
the gas engine, the automobile m n ny
metallurgy. applied chemistry, water power
steel buildings, reinforced concrete con-
structions, agricultural machinery and irri-
cation! All these activities and IN ny
others too numerous to mention come with
IN the province of the engineer, and their
development has been his task
"Never before in history has mankind
been 50 dependent upon the engineer. The
existing war is essentially a war of er 81
neers; for it is they who are manufacture
ing the guns, ammunition, vess Is motors
and the other paraphelnalia requis tie for
carrying on the struggle, and who are at
tending to the transportation of men, NUM-
lions, food, and all other supplies by both
land and sea, besides doing their fair share
OF the lighting The public is now begin
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-07-14

roundness of the earth, that if the earth
be represented by an 18-inch globe. the
difference between its greatest and least
diameters would be only about one-six-
teenth Of an inch the highest mountains
would project only about ninetietb Of
an inch, and the average elevation of con-
tinerts and depths of the ocean would be
hardly greater on that scale than the thick
ness of film of varnish. Relatively. the
earth is really much smoother and rounder
than most of the balls in a bowling alley.
There various ways of determining
the diameter of the earth. The best, in fact
the only accurate one, is by measuring arcs
of meridian, to ascertain the number
of miles or kilometres in a degree of the
earth's circumference
There are various approximate methods.
one Of the simplest of which is the follow
ing:
Erect upon a reasonably level plane
three rods in line, a mile. apart from each
other and cut off their tops at the same
level, carefully determined with a survey
or's levelling instrument. 1t will then be
found, on sighting across from A to C (ie-
ure $50 that the line, after allowing for
refractlon, passes about eight inches below
b, the top Of the middle rod
Suppose the circle ABC completed. and
that E is the point of the circumference
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-07-14
In Competition With
"BLLWXY!?X"

4 STREET and station indicator for
L use on trolley or interurban rail
way cars has been perfected and patent
ed recently by John o. Tough. Accord
ing to THE Electrical Experimenter,"
the invention ''has considerable merit"
1t
comprises suitable Enclosure cabinet in
side of which there is supported revolv-
able drum on the periphery of which there
are suspended pivotally a large number of
signs, each of which is labelled progress
sively with the street numbers for gwen
car route. Just after passing each street
an auxiliary electric circuit is closed which
operates an electro magnet placed within
the announcer cabinet, this magnet actu-
ating set of paws arranged in the man
ner shown in the drawing herewith. AT
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-07-14

ming to recognize the truth of the sayings
that, when something of Importance has
to be cone it is necessary to call in the
engineer and that eng neers are pre-
eminently the producers of results
Concerning the relative importance of
the engineers work in the world TODAY. it
may be stated, without any res rvaton,
that 1t is he who is responsible for our
present civilization in the material sense
and even, poss bly,, also IN the mental
sense. 1t is truly an engineers age. Coun-
tries are built up and torn down by the
engineer He is a creator; he ings to-
gether elemental forces and gives them
direction. He takes the natural things
from the earth and makes of them the
complex things of life. If his work were
to cease the world would retrog AIDE to un-
clVliizatlon as we understand the word to-
day
Engineering works are the surest index
to the state degree of civilization to
which nation has arrived; and, owing to
the rapid progress and readjus ments which
VIII be the outcome of the war, these same
works Will undergo a more rapid change
and growth in given time than history
has yet shown. What may have seemed
colossal engineering work few years since
VIII become commonplace henceforth. An
illustration of this is the growth in the
size of steamships. How MANY times we
have heard of huge vessels having been
constructed and regarded as the final word
IN marine Architectural Drvdocks have
been oulit to take care of the largest vessel
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-07-14
4 Mistakes We Were
lVl Able to Avoid

In the development of this organizations
have been fortunate, for we have been
able to profit by the experiences of the
British and French armies, which have been
placed so freely at the disposal of our
engineers. We have been able. for IN
stance, to avoid the mistake Of making mo-
bile units directly responsible for their
own water supply We have, at the very
beginning done what our allies did only
after paying the price for their experience
and reorganizing their systems of water
supply: We have organized water supply on
a geographical rather than upon a shift nc
military unit basis, The big advantage of
this plan is tina. the water supply force
in each district remains continue ly in
charge of work with which it is familiar,
instead, as was the in the first year of
the war, Of being moved from one locality
to another, facing new set OF conditions
with regard to the supply of water, at each
shift.
ITO large extent water for our allies
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-07-14
akhaN The Great Workshop Of Science ggzaY}8aR

tnat would ever be constructed, yet in
few years these same docks are found to
De totally inadequate to handle ANYTHING
pu' enat which has come to be considered
vessel Of ordinary size. The same re-
marx applies to bridge load, ngs. MANY
orldges have been built to take care of all
possible future loads, and yet the weights
OF locomotives and loaded cars have in
creased so fast that the structures are ont
OF date long before they show anv sign of
deterioration from the elements This
analogy could be continued indefinitely to
Apply 10 actual cases concerning transpor-
tation systems, Office buildings, canals.
water works, etc.
The increase in requirements or demand
seems 10 be IN an ever-augmenting ratio.
the curve varying with the periods of bust
ness prosperity and depression. In short.
engineering works will always meet the
demand; and the demand is increasing
steadily. 1t is quite reasonable to imagine
the city of New York as having grown TO n
city of twenty million inhabitants. and
"hen such a change exists there will be
engineering works such as bridges, tunnels
water works, transportation systems etc.
IN which almost lnconceivable sums of
money have been invested If there is a
compelling need for a structure of unpre
ceoented size, then that structure viii be
nuilt-the cost is merely a relative matter.
uiVen enough money (and the money will
De found, If the need is sufficiently imper-
atiVe)' there is almost no engineering feat
that cannot be ACCOMPLISHED"
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-07-14

on the basis of consumption of $50 to
zoo gallons per capita per day mus recon-
slruct his ideas when he reaches the front
ana compares these figures with military
allowances Tor advance areas. For an ad
Vanclng army the consumption oftent;me.
must be as low as half gallon soldier
daily. Three days after the beginning Of
movement, during which time the water
supply forces have been able to extend
their lines forward, the allowance man
daily Is increased to one gallon
I'm the design Of water delivery points
at the front engineers must give great
Deal OF attention to the horse and mule
nus. recalling the fact that an animal
needs from seven to ten times as much
water as man, 1t is clear that the water
supply engineer must often provide more
water for animals than for the men actu
ally engaged in fighting"
Taking It all in all, providing suf-
hcient water supply for an army is
hazardous business. The author con-
cludes:
Pipe lines are broken and must be kent
in repair Mechanical equipment is pretty
much of minus quantity. Casualties de-
plete the working force But come what
may, the water supply engineers must st ok
TO the job and keep the delivery of water
close up behind the troops moving ahead"
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-07-14
Facts About the Globe
We Own

\ SERIES of articles by Captain
Fritz E. Uttmark, constituting "a
practical instruction course in naviga-
tion," is appearing in "The Wireless
Age Until one has acquired knowledge
OF the dimensions and motions of the
earth, says the writer, it is impossible to
go 5ar IN the study Of astronomy which
underiies that Of navigation So in one
chapter are listed such familiar, pri
mary facts as that the earth is round
and rotates on it's axis-together with
other facts not quite SO familiar. They
arc given as follows:
a. The earth is great ball about 1920
miles in diameter
Y 1t rotates on its axis once in twenty
TOUR sldereal hours.
g. 1t is not exactly spherical. but is
Hattened at the poles, the polar diameter
beng nearly twenty-seven miles, or about
one two hundred and ninety fifth part. less
imam the equatorial.
Il. 1t has a mean density between SIS
and 56 as great as that of water, and
mass represented in tons by six with twen-
ty-one ciphers following
"5 1t is flying through space in it's orbj
tai motion around the sun with velocity
OF about eighteen and half miles Sec
ond; l. e., about seventy-fve times as
swiftly as an ordinary cannon ball
1t is not necessary to dwell on the ordi-
nary proofs of the earth's globularity We
Will simply mention them
81. 1t can be circumnavigated.
"2. The appearance of vessels coming in
from sea indicates that the surface is
everywhere convex.
%. The fact that the dip of the sea hori-
zon as seen from given elevat on, is (sen-
slbly) the same in all directions. and at
all parts of the earth, shows that the sur
face is approximately SPHERICAL
"A. The fact that one goes from the
equator toward the north the elevation of
the pole increases in proportion to the
distance from the equator proves the same
thing.
IS. The outline of the earths shadow.
seen upon the moon during lunar eclipses,
is such as only sphere could cast
1--WE may add as to the smoo.hness and
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-07-14

commentaries its date. 10 the gentlcr colors
of to-day
"Rcader. so out into your garden, took at
the purple and saffron of the crocuses-
look at the rose pink of the Almonds the
reds and yelows Of the primrosos, the pale
gold of the jasmine and perhaps some early
daffodil, and think of coal tar, oily, guti-
NOUS provcrbial for its dirt. Touch pitch
and be defled, indeed! Touch it with the
magic wand of organic chemistry, and out
of it, out of Pandora's box, stream the
colors of the kaleidoscope, the principles of
life of health, of sweetness; out Of it, too,
death and destruction-hi explosives.
Gust as the natural naphtha, the per
petual fire. of the Zcroastrians, that water
that was poured by Elijah in the altar
trench upon Mount Carmel and consumed
the sacrifice, once floating IN shiny masses
on the waves of some untapped spring in
Southern Russia or Asia Minor. is trans
formed into the cheerful flare of the street
market and of the swings and boats of the
village merry go-round, so the Installations
Of long unregarded coal tar have their more
complex uses for a thousand purposes and
in million scenes remote from coal"
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-07-14

fishes these water points at frequent in
terva!s. and divisional or other units must
assume responsibility for getting the water
from them to their men and animals by
iight railway, WAGON transport. motor
truck, hand carrying or such other means
as tie local situation may demand
During an advance the sequence of opera
tons re ating to water supply begins with
horse-drawn transport by individus, mill
tary units from existing water delivery
points. Then, as the distance from these
water bases to the new front increases
water tank trains operate up to point
where pack mule or other service begins
These water tank trains are operated by
the quartermasrer department and tide
over the period during which engineers OF
the water supply service are establishing
new water points in advance OF the old
ones. 1t is absolutely essential for the
success Of the movement of troops forward
that the distance between water points and
the rear of advancing units shall not be so
great as to make tie transport vi water
difficult. AS a general rule, I am told, this
distance should not exceed four or five
miles.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-07-14
WAYS Of Getting Water
w In a Hurry


Behind rapid advance OF troops the
following methods of supplying water are
employed: - Hand portage in bottles and
cans. az Horse drawn carts 90 Tank
trains and cars. a Construction Of new
water delivery points. (5) Laying new
pipe lines. 60 Equipment OF advanc.
pumping stations. Each case determines
the method combination OF methods that
will serve best
For advance areas the present war has
developed the water point which assumes
various forms. 1t may be wei the end
OF pipe line. trough. an elevated tank
of metal or wood merely reservoir
OF canvas 1t establishes however, a line
OF demarcation between the work Of the
special water supp forces and to troops
in the held-between producer and CON
sumner The water supply service estab-
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-07-14
From The Electrical Eeperi,aenter

each impulse of the electro-magnet and
pawl system the drum carrying the various
street signs is moved around short dis
lance, Just sufficient TO bring the next
street sign in position before the opening
IN the cabinet An electric bell can be ar
ranged to signal each change of the an
nouncer so that passengers will pay proper
attention to the device, although once it is
installed a short time, patrons will soon
become accustomed to it. We believe Mr.
Lough deserves vote of thanks from a
long suffering public, as all that we can
nope TO learn concerning the name of the
next street announced at present il q cor-
glomeratlon of vowels and consonants tina.
sounds ke-BLLWXY! ?X."
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-07-14
The Lovable Snak e

or ALL the unreasoning, wasteful
prejudices that beset the race of
men, our hatred of snakes is one of the
most foolish. In this country we have
about III species, and only seventeen Of
THESE are poisonous. The most common
snakes are absolutely harmless and ex-
tremely useful. Yet they are killed with
Will be as bare Of snakes as Ireland is
reputed to be.
But In a time of national crisis fool
ish prejudices must go by the board, and
-Nr snakes must be protected. Gayne
l. Y. Norton, in american Forestry"
saysN THE pests they destroy each year,
especially the rodents that injure crops
and carry communicable diseases, roll up
large balance of good service in their
favor"
Rodents cause a loss to the nation of
some $500, 900 year, and one-ffth
OF this represents destruction of crops.
The reason for this appalling damage
lies In the rapid breeding that character
ICES all rodents. One investigator
pared two common house rats late in
December. By the middle Of the next
September he had $50 rats. Mr.. Norton
further declares:
Reptiles very important factor in
the natural work of restraining the too
rapid increase of rodents. Practically all
our snakes feed upon rodents. One in
particular which has wide range, is var
lously called milk snake. house snake,
spotted adder. checkered adder, finds
~ per cent of it's diet in small mann
mails. This reptile together with dozens
OF others, is absolutely harmless, defence
'ess and in no way destructive, though many
ridiculous tales are told about it.
Inc gross ignorance regarding our
snakes causes slaughter of all things that
wear scales and crawl. Farmers should
protect and breed the harmless snakes
rather than kill them. Many European
countries have protective legislation. :.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-07-14
First Hand Earthquake
News

a soLCOLOGlST of the Carnegie
Geophyscal Laboratory reports
that ne has nearly perfected apparatus for
recording upon wax cylinders the sub
terranean sounds Of earthquakes. SAYS
The Scientific American" The ordi-
nary commercial cylinders are insult
able FOR this delicate work, and accord
ingly the laboratory has secured a sup
ply of cylinders of the old, pure wax
type. The microphone used in this con-
nectlon has also been greatly improved
and perfect little portable field outfit
weighing less than pound has been
evolved"
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-07-14

things. the devices that some plants have
for getting on in the world, the burdock.
for instance:
"When the burr of the burdock, reaching
forth its arms for such chance, seizes on
N YOUR coattail, take your pocket glass
and examine the minute hooks that tip the
ends of the seed scales. They fish for you
and your dog aud sheep and COW. and they
catch you not with one hook, but with
tg.n;y or ffty, all at the same time. But
m this case it IS not the fish that is caught
but the fisherman. His plan is to go right
along with his captor, the further the bet
ter, and plant his progeny in a new terri
tory. He lets so his hold upon the parent
plant at q mere touch, but the touch gives
him all the hold he wants. The hooks are
fine ard hard. like minute. sharp horns, not
too much bent-that would defeat the end
and perfectly smooth and finished. In
stead of hooks. the weed called 'bidens' has
the teeth prongs armed with barbs like
q fish hook many of them on each prong
hooks
of the burdock Nature never fails to per
feet her device. Natural selection attends
to that. Her traps, her wings, her springs,
her balloons, always work The wings of
the maple keys, the ash and the linden, are
all different, but they all work
"The advantage or that array of eager
hooks to the burdock (there are more than
~.
obvious. and yet here is the yellowdock
alongside of it, relative of our buck
wheat. that has no hooks or other devices
that can discover for scattering its seed
and yet it appears to compete successfully
with its more lusty reighbor. One is about
abundant and troublesome to the gar
dener the other. The seeds of the vel
lowdock are like small brown, polished
buckwheat, have never seen birds or
squirrels eat them, and what secret way
they have of keeping up with the burdocks
do not know. The burdocl, plants itself
deeper in the ground and defes your spad-
ing fork the more successfully.
u felt new interest in an adder's
tongue, or fawn lily, as l prefer to call it,
when discovered a trick that it has for
getting on in the world Dig up the flow
ering ones and you will find the bulb deep
in the earth. AS it must start from seed
at the surface, | was anxious to know how it
got itself planted so deeply Examine a bed
of them. and you will find that those with
only one leaf-the younger ones-are near
the top of the ground. Examine them again
later IN the season, and you will find that
those bulbs have started scheme for get
ting deeper into the soil; they are sending
out big tap root, which is forcing its way
into the earth. If it succeeds, at the end of
{ho{+ l,,1n
the old bulb will be drawn off, or thus
moved by piecemeal deeper into the earth.
Once saw some of those plants growing
on hard piece of ground, and their long
white tap roots, unable to penetrate it, were
cciling and twisting over the surface, feel
ing for soft spot. They do not bloom till
they have finally settled at the right depth,
and can lift to the sunlight a pair of
leaves"
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-07-14

y
created in this country that the stomach
Of the army is dependent solely on a
standard ration of SO many pounds of
beef and so many pounds of pure wheat
flour bread day, in the opinion of Rob-
ert X. Tomlin, jr., writing in "The Engi-
neering News Record" the travelling
ability of the army is even more matter
of the daily consumption of so many
gallons of fresh, pure water. Mr.. Tomlin
explains just how this supply is pro-
vided:
investigations of our army engineers in
France have led along some strange by
paths, routes unexplored in the course of
ordinary municipal water supply practice
at home. How much water does u horse
or mule drink daily? What is the mini
mum requirement per capita for troops
during an advance? What is the best
means of sterilizing water on the field?
How shall pipe lines, pumping stations and
tanks be protected from shell FIRE, Shall
each army corps or division be responsible
for its own water supply, or shall this
matter be controlled for all of our forces
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-07-14

rtory is underlaid with chalk, and it is
necessary to sink driven wells from $50 to
$50 feet to reach the level Of saturaton
In the somme valley British troops used
river water, which was passed through puli-
ication plants mounted on barres About
fopr-dfths of the French army water supply
in the region of Verdun was obtained
from wells.