davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-08-21
BY r.. V. Lucas.

For the benefit OF those people
reading these lines to- whom there
are sthl a few initials that convey
no meaning Gas nearly all do 10
mel. let me say that NJ. LIS are
motor launches engaged in the risky
and monotonous task, for ever and
ever. Of mine-sweeping; and some
one, I hope-Mr. Kipling for choice
lis writing or will write, the epic
OF them and in particular of those
minute specimens which operate in
the channel-the tiniest Davids to
send out single handed against the
Hun Goliath For they deserve all
the praise they can get, and then
some.
They are incredibly small. and
so full OF machinery it seems a
miracle that they ever float at all.
apart altogether from the trans
action or their precarious business.
There is not an inch OF room to
spare. 10 bulwarks but a wire rail-
ing. and the fumes of petrol al
ways present below They were
made so small i'm order 20 be easily
transported here on bigger vessels
from Canada, where they were con
structed at the factories with light
ming speed. and they are manned
by a commander a lieutenant, a
chief engineer. and a crew of seven
or eight forget which.
How the crew gets into its abode,
and when there how il survives, is
a mystery Of the deep beyond So
luton: vet I have seen them there.
at their tea, and heard them laugh
too. But the adapta bility Of man.
and particularly OF naval man. is
always one Of the marvels-and one
OF the triumphs.
These inhnitesimal craft are in
most cases commanded by civilians
suddenly transformed to naval Off
GERS - intrepid amateur sportsmen
with their gold braid in the tell
tale Wavy lines instead OF the
straight ones which proclaim the
regular service-but their jobs are
none the lighter for that. nor their
responsibilities any the less. in
deed. they carry their lives in their
hands if ever sailors did
The commander Of tho NJ. L.
which ] was privileged to see over
was a gentleman normally in the
South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-08-21
OPEN WAR WORK
CONGRESS IN PARIS

PARIS. Aug. 21.-A congress OF
women. including representatives.
OF women var organizations.
opened in Paris Tuesday. Mrs.
william X. Vanderbilt Of New York
presided at the congress. which was
largely attended. Miss Alexandra
CarsWeu explained 70 the delegates
the necessity OF the women OF en-
tente allied countries co-ordinstins
their efforts In war work.
South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-08-21
CEREALS TO BE TAKEN TO
NETHERLANDS FROM u. s.

WASHINGTON. Aug. 21.-At The
urgent request OF the government
OF The Netherlands the war trade
board has granted permission for
the steamship NieuW Amsterdam TO
take a cargo % 10. 900 tons OF ce-
reals 20 Holland. The permission
was granted an announcement
Tuesday night said, after an agree
ment had been made whereby the
Nieuw Amsterdam on its next trip
from this country will carry a cargo
for the Belgian relief commission.
South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-08-21

News-Times Special Service:
GARY. Ind, Aug. 21.-The Gary
city council has passed the 1919
budget appropriating Ss26. 31O.s1, or
about $4,000 more than for 1918.
The tax levy for next year will be
1874, or six cents more than this
year More than $4,000 was
chopped off original budget esti-
mates
South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-08-21

DeinS Iorty-SlX
years Of age
and had all the
symptoms Incl
dent 10 at
change - b q a [
hesuervOus-
ness, and was in
a general run
down condition.
so it was hard
for me to do my
work. Lydia +.
Pinkham's Vege-
table Compound
Omaha daily bee., 1918-08-25
Is Parrot a Member of the Family and is
It Entitled to Sugar Ration? Ask Victor

Food Administrator Allen. He listen
ed to the appeal Of the woman, shook
his head and remarked:
mo sugar here for parrots. I'd
suggest you pull the birds sugar
TOOTH" y
The woman started to leave the
Office, feeling that she was not being
treated with the proper respect. As
she reached the door, Mr.. Alien
called her back, saying: 1--WE have
a man in the next room who is au.
thority on the construction of the law
relative to the distribution of sugar."
Mrs. Grandon's face was wreathed
in smiles, for she fancied that her
parrot was going to be placed on tho
sugar-drawing ration list. She was
escorted to the room Of E. M. Fair
field, government director of enforce
ment. To him she stated the case,
insisting that the parrot must have
little sugar for its crackers, adding,
II can't afford to give it sugar from
my allowance" ~
Mr.. Fairfield thought and then
thought some more, after which he
tried to solve the problem, informing
Mrs. Grandon that the "only thing
| see for you to do is to install your
parrot as family butler. There is a
provision made for drawing a sugar
ration for the butler and if you do
not have one, you can get around
the law in this way and at the same
time draw sugar ration for your
family"
Omaha daily bee., 1918-08-25

taneous combustion due from scrap
lumber, shavings and sawust accumu-
lations. They also realize that -four
mills and mating plants are suscep-
tible to destruction by explosion OF
-four and other dusts.
"Arson Trust"
They know that paint and oil fac
tories, warehouses and stores make
the most dangerous fires and the
ones hardest to combat with water.
Then in every big city there is al
ways the larson trust" and the fire.
bug to contend with. Omaha's fire
warden has a veritable museum OF
relics Of firebugs which he has col
lected in the last few years.
He has found fires started with IN
cendiary purposes in which two gas
Jets figured. They were located in
a storeroom where the stock OF
goods was low and the insurance
high. One jet was left open. the
other we'll lighted. 1t only took a
few hours for the room to fill with
gas, which was soon ignited with
explosive force by the fame from the
companion jet. There was fire and
the stock of goods was sold to the
Omaha daily bee., 1918-08-25

flames in case of a fire, he notifies the
careless owner to replace it.
In another densely inhabited build
ing he will find Railways leading to
exits and FIRE escapes so cluttered up
and obstructed with furniture that they
could not be used in a crisis. He
notifies the careless owner to cure
this condition.
II has been his experience to in
spect buildings where he found the
windows providing approach to fire
escapes nailed down so as to pre-
vent use in the event of fire and
panic.
Investigation OF factories and mer-
camille establishments are in many
| instances revelations of carelessness.
In stores and garages he has found
as many as 100 gallons OF gasoline at a
time in open tanks, gases rising from
them and filling the room. Only a
spark or a match would be needed
Ito provide holocaust.
Infammable Waste.
In the Easements of some OF the
most populous buildings he has found
punches of infammable waste close
to elevator shafts and areaways
Spontaneous combustion and draf,
to fan the flames we're all that would
Ebe needed to provide the combination
OF circumstances which would cause
one OF those mysterious. destructive
Omaha daily bee., 1918-08-25

conAagrations, described by report
ers as being of unknown" origin.
Trouton is only one Of an army of
sentries who are constantly on the
watch to prevent loss OF life and prop
erty by the "hre hend." The insur-
ance companies which annually bet
millions OF dollars on the hazard that
Omaha will not be destroyed or Sc
verely scorched by a gigantic FIRE
have their men watching continu-
ously for the weak spots OF attack.
In all the home Offices in New York,
Hartford, London, Liverpool, wher.
ever risks are written, are huge maps
showing the nature OF the buildings
of Omaha. the character of their oc-
cupants, the classes of business or
industries conducted in them, faults
of construction which make them
susceptible to fire loss, the extent of
freproofing or lack of it, and the
number and character Of watchmen
employed. These men work, as does
Trouton, from the center OF the city
out to the suburbs and they report
to their chiefs every defect their prac-
ticed eyes take in.
They know that a woodworking
lplant is in constant danger from spon-
Omaha daily bee., 1918-08-25
Mussed Up

Zone of the most exciting expert
ences ever had," said Ensign Walter
Grantham of the Salvation Army,
didn't happen to me at all" (The
ensign came from Ireland, as one can
readily see.)
1--WE went on a picnic out to the
fisheries at South Bend one Sunday
several weeks ago. Those who have
been there will remember the road
runs down a steep hill and makes a
turn at the edge of the fish pond
While we were enjoying our lunch
a fiivver with two men and four wo-
men stopped at the top of the hill and
one man and two of the women got
out. The rest proceeded down the
hill, one of the women driving. She
seemed to lose control of he car, or
the brakes would not work, for the
car suddenly shot forward and
plunged down the hill and straight
into the pond. There was big splash
and then the water was churning with
the frantic struggles of the occupants
of the car, who were fortunately all
thrown clear of the machine.
81 rushed down and reached in
from the bank and got hold of the
hand of one Of the girls. Pull me
outl Pull me outp She screamed.
| surely wasn't trying to push her in,
Finally / got her onto the bank and
others assisted the other woman and
the man. None Of them was at all
hurt. by some miracle.
ut SD happened there was big
picnic near, made up of the compos.
ing room employees of one of the
Omaha newspapers, l understood. A
woman among them had camera
and Immediately asked the rescued
trio to allow her to photograph them,
which they consented to do. 1t was
the first time l ever knew a woman
to submit to photographing when her
hair. was Mussed up, ..sE
when the car ran away the other
three, who had got out, came tearing
down the hill. Just as the camera
snapped. the two girls passed me, and
| heard one of them say to the other,
Just because we got out, they don't
want to take us. | wish we had
stayed in so we could have our pic
ture in the paper Can you beat
thatl She was willing to risk her life
for the sake of having her photo pub
lished."
Omaha daily bee., 1918-08-25

hand down decision that will settle
the parrot problem for all future
generations and food administrations.
The cause of all the commotion in
the food administration department
came out this way. Mrs. Mary G.
Grandon, Bemis park, is the owner
OF green parrot that, according to
her statement to County Food Ad-
ministrator Allen, "is almost human"
The other day Mrs. Grandon Wis
tied the office Of Vic Parrish, chief
factotem under Federal Food Ad-
ministrator Wattles and confded to
him that she wanted to take out a
sugar card for her parrot, insisting
that in order to live, the aforesaid
parrot must have its regular sugar
ration.
Not finding anything in the books
authorizing the issuance of sugar
cards to parrots, Mr.. Parrish in
formed the woman that he was power
less to grant relief unless Mrs. Gran
don would make an affidavit that the
parrot was a member of the family.
Not being willing to thus swear,
Mrs. Grandon was referred to County
Omaha daily bee., 1918-08-25

No. l-"Taxpayer," type Of tem-S
porary building replacing structures
such as Nos. 2 and 8, condemned.
These buildings are located on strate-
gic corners, awaiting development and
such time as will justify the erection
Of permanent structures. The Tax
payer" is a substantial business build
ing designed to pay expenses OF taxa
ton and nominal interest rate on in
vestment.
No. TYPE Of permanent building,
replacing structures such as No. Q,
condemned. Representing the final
phase of Investment and building i'm
provement Of developed strategic
corner made possible by growth OF
the city.
Omaha daily bee., 1918-08-25
Some Heat

'It's me for the Klondike," ex-
claimed George Horton, who lives
out on the Prettiest Mile road in the
vicinity of Miller Park. 1t was one
of those hot days when Horton
boiled, flied and sizzled as he hunted
for cool place that did not exist.
George Horton had not always
lived in Omaha and consequently he
had not become entirely acclimated.
Prior to coming here couple of
years ago he had spent several sum-
mers up around the Arctic circle, ,
hence his longing for the Klondike.
And as to the Klondike and its sum-
mer weather, he had this to say:
when it comes to the real thing
in connection with summer weather,
give me the Klondike in preference to
Omaha. There is no LOO degrees in
the shade weather in that northern
country and just want to say few
words telling what August weather
up there is like. Three years ago this
August ! was prospecting for gold at
a point about 200 miles north Of
Nome. One day that Iremember, the
morning started in with a tempera-
ture of Sc degrees below zero, slightly
cool for that time in the year. By
noon the temperature had risen to
10 above zero and an hour later the
snow was melting. AT 4 o'clock the
mercury had risen to 90 above and the
snow that had been six feet deep on
the level had about all disappeared. It
kept growing warmer until 6 o'clock,
when the thermometer recorded 80
degrees above. That was real sum-
mer and the kind of weather that in
vigorates and makes your blood tim
gle. That night the temperature
dropped back to 20 degrees below
zero and while the mercury fitted up
and down the tube. the weather was
much more enjoyable than the Ne
braska brand that drops in on you,
climbs to 100 degrees and remains
there for several days and nights
without break.
Omaha daily bee., 1918-08-25

insurance companies as the result
of "gas leak"
A fire occurred in a house on South
Thirteenth street. The fire depart
ment defeated the "hre fend" and
the flames were quenched before the
house was completely gutted. Trou.
ton made an examination and found
a rope of oil-soaked rags, partially
charred, leading to an open bucket
of gasoline. The owners made no
claim for insurance.
Firebugs have been known to lay
an ordinary powder fuse from point
outside the building to a pan of gaso-
line or kerosene. They would light
the fuse. which would burn slowly,
and several hours after the frebug
had departed there would be sudden
ignition, an explosion that would
nearly blow the building off its sills
and then fire.
Combustibles have been known to
have been piled in rooms and then
set ahre by a heated brick thrown
through the window. PastslS of m
cendiary> chemicals are frequently
used and in some rare cases "Old
Sop has been used in the capacity
of a frebug by the placing of glass
at such an angle from a frame build
ing that the concentration of the
suns rays has caused combustion.
Trust Broken Up. a
In 1912 and 1918 there was an arson
trust operating in the city which de-
stroyed, for pay, thousands OF dol
lars worth of property. but which
was finally broken up by the eff
cient work of the fire warden's de-
partment.
Mr.. Trouton has been compelled
to play detective for the purpose OF
getting arson evidence on several oc-
casions. Recently he suspected a
couple OF men OF starting a fire and,
to get the goods on them. he OBJ
tanned board at the same house
where they were staying, got into
! the good graces of their landlady and
after time got sufficient circumstan-
tial evidence to make it embarrassing
for the suspects. He put in FIVE
hours OF cross-questioning the men
and obtained confession.
The greatest menace to the safety
of life and property, Mr.. Trouton
declares, is carelessness in the home.
Children playing with matches,
handling kerosene lamps, or tanning
burning rags or paper into flames
cause many fires. Their mothers,
too, endanger lives and property by
washing garments or their hair in
open pans of gasoline. Father does
hls share by letting paper, waste.
kindling and other refuse accumulate
in the cellars or in the attics to ig-
mite by spontaneous combustion.
| As a result of the inspections that
are now being made and the ordi-
nances compelling moving picture
films, explosives, oils and paints and
dangerous chemicals in fre-proofed
rooms, big fires in Omaha are not as
frequent, population and congestion
considered, as they were during the
period preceding decade ago.
Omaha daily bee., 1918-08-25
Buildings Sufficient to House Over Ten
Thousand Persons Condemned in Omaha
By JOHN H. KEARNES.

Using the powers Of his Office, one
Omaha man. in . period Of six years,
has condemned to complete destruc-
ton enough buildings to make up
thriving county seat town the size OF
Papillion. As = result Of his work
lie has seen these buildings replaced
by modern brick structures which
would house and provide tenant space
for 4 city the size of Fremont.
Curing the term he has been deputy
state Are warden and fire warden OF
the city OF Omaha, John c. Trouton
has, condemned lis buildings. Many
81 these were in downtown districts,
III the center Of the congested sec
tion and many more were in~he resi-
dencc districts.
They ranged from tumbledown
shacks and shanties to apparently
comfortable cottages or substantial
business buildings. but, after expert
inspection by him, proved to be FIRE
traps or structures 50 faultily built
that they were menaces to human
life.
Changes in Scenes.
Wholesale condemnation Of these
buildings has made a startling change
ii the architectural appearance Of
many districts OF the city for the
reason that the unsightly edificcs
ordered destroyed for the safety OF
life and property have been replaced
BY great skyscrapers, modern fac
tory buildings. hotels, by one-story
brick buildings known as taxpayers
and by handsome homes.
Iii the six years he has been act
ing as FIRE warden Mr.. Trouton has
had many Illuminating experiences
with the greatest enemy OF humanity.
carelessness.
II Is his duty to inspect every struc-
turc within theseity limits that offers
hazard to life and property. Where
he finds a frame structure where the
process Of decay has set in to such an
extent that it is no longer subject
to reasonable upkeep. and where its
location is such that its proximity 20
neighboring property Of value or
avenues Of traffic cause it to be a
danger to public safety, he starts
condemnation proceedings which
eventually result in its being torr
down. The clearing Of lots otherwise
desirable leads to replacement with
modern buildings.
To provide. as nearly as is humanity
possible. against danger to public
safety IS a result of carelessness
criminal negligence or intent, Oma'
has FIRE marshal must keep his eye!
.opcn all the time. His working hours
are devoted to continual search
for mantraps, firetraps, hrebugs
and the vast army Of fortuitous cir
cumstances which combine to maxi
up the army engaged in eternal war
fare against human life and property
In Path of Duty.
His duty takes him from the utter
most recesses of dank, gloomy Gel
lars 10 the roofs of the highest sky
scrapers, from junk heaps to ban
vaults, and in his search of all tn
nooks and crannies-of the structure
typical Of the city he sees more Q
the insides and outsides of Omah
than most any other man. On
school building or hotel he may find
fire escape that is SO badly worn 0
rlsted, so loosely attached to the su
perstructnre Of the building ..lat tn
weight Of three or four persons ]
an emergency might break it dow
and ieaye the rest Of the occupant
Omaha daily bee., 1918-08-25

Officials of the Omaha food ad-
ministration are all wrought up on
Just how to classify parrot on the
sugar-consuming proposition The
proposition is a knotty one, as there
is nothing in the books, or Hoover
rulings relative to the matter. The
upshot of the whole matter is that
officials of the food department of the
government have put their heads to-
gether and eventually they hope to
The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1918-02-23
PRIDE 0FvAElT
MY Il RAISED;
PRoBlBLE
|Hlehaf vGhs Would Sawulatl
Prediction I Is Thought

WASHINGTON FEB. az
There were Indications today that
the price Of the 1918 wheat crop
would be increased soon by presi-
DENTAL proclamation. a,f
7 Under the food control law price foi
wheat Of the 1918 crop was set q r. Z
bushel but that Is construed to BE I
minimum and that the president has
authority to increase the price II hs
consider conditions warrant Il.
Upon recommendation Of the special
wheat committee hesded by Dr., Harry
A. Garfield, the president lat August
fixed $40 q bushel % the price for
wheat Of the 1914 crop, now being
marketed. -.
Several bills arl pending in congress
10 raise the price Of the 1918 wheat
crop, some d tbesn proposing to put 4
a kigh d $zN bushel. II wss
pointed out today that an obvious ed-
vantage In fixing TIE price Of the 1918
crop at R20 wonld be that II would
release quantities Of wheat which might
be held ii the expectation Of . higher
price being fixed by congress and
would encourage planting by farmers
who are Inclined to delay feeling that
the price might be only 500
The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1918-02-23

LONDON, Feb. 23.--The inhabitants
Of Petoerad await coming events with
an outward calm, according to the latcs,
dispatches received hero, and continue
to pursue their ordinary business lifs
seemingly uncoacernedC over the great
interests at stake.
popslaee TIRED Of Evesythisg.
The Daily Naii's correspondent IN 4
dispatch sent elast Thursdsy, fepeats Z
statement that the majority would vel
come the arrival Of the Germans, fear
ing "a outbsesk OF uncontrolled an
archisn with murders. The bulk Of the
population the correspondent says, b
tired Of revolution, tired Of hunger and
disorder and tired Of the uncertainty
pefpetualiy ovcrhanging them.
NJ Russian nSsistAnes.
In the last two days the Germans
have not met with . single case Of re-
sistance, Petrograd dispatch to the
Exchange Telegraph company says.
Evacuation Of the port of, Revai Is pro-
ceedins slowly, the soldiers declining
The headquarters Of the Russian
western army has been moved to Smol-
ensk,s $50 miles southwest Of Moscow.
The change was made in such haste
that the staff lost touch with the vsri-
oiis armies. .
The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1918-02-23
|1''I'I,
III DaJE Den

llua VA tslssn 81 officials Of
notna Gas and Electric CON;
~ as-a result Of the order ot
ofotioq cosnmissidd to grant
- nsemefs Of ~ 70 certain
pf Oklahoma City he Of.
WMe busy stndyins unofficial
6ai0ds q the ruling which was
y handed down this morhine.
ncesnent 81 how the company
he order b expected to be
undsy morning Is the time al
= lie granting Of ordirary re-
The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1918-02-23
Nc Connen Will Get
Another Rcprieve

Quiliie McConnell sentenced 10 death
on March l, Is due to get another re-
prieve, according to ]. M. Crook, state
pardon and parole officer.
The last reprieye given Mcconnell
was to enable him to perfect an appeal
of his case to the criminal court Of ap-
peals but as yet no appeal has been
filed. According to Judge Crook there
10 no doubt but what the appellate
court will Be given an opportunity to
review the Mcconnell case and that
this may b done II will be necessary
that Mcconnell be given another re-
prieve.
Mcconnell was convicted Of killing
Sheriff Arnold OF Lincoln county and
was sentenced to die in the electric
chair December Is
The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1918-02-23

Preparations for equIpplns iud |,
Housing Men Ars Md, 4
Additional Cantonphsnls |6S
b Provided for Training \,

WASHINGTON, FL u~-Wkre
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teaal army sIl svslisbIs sssest1 -
dleaticas wouId sssm 10 point y 49,
tina duslgs w. slousk u Apdi q q
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oueh q ssllmole 10 bsssd 9 -
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9s.sl - - ~
enteF - y - -
lIsn M k)eanse - eUoo1l III = kpl|s
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lllass w = sesa ~ oealS Z ~
- 4rpo ~ eooe9anon ~ ~ ~
eellel ~ tgooDp ~ 4 = OpgslG)o 4 =
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bcDslt6a, h b ~ osselSb Z ~ 661
ND 1uTIaC ~ esllsd. 'v' N